How does the Joey Galloway trade of 2000 stack up against the Roy Williams' debacle?

This week’s release of Roy Williams signals a dubious ending to what could possibly be seen as the worst trade in Dallas Cowboy’s history. Unfortunately for Cowboy fans, this incident doesn’t mark the first time the team has made a major sacrifice for what turned out to be a mediocre Wide Receiver.

Looking for a player to replace the Hall of Fame bound Michael Irvin, the Cowboys traded their 2000 and 2001 first round picks to the Seattle Seahawks for speedster Joey Galloway. In a turn of cruel foreshadowing, the former Buckeye Wide Receiver torn his ACL in his very first game as a Cowboy. Therefore, Galloway was out for the entire season due to the injury. In his four years with Dallas, Galloway never had more than 61 receptions and 6 touchdowns in a season. In 2003, he was traded to the Tampa Buccaneers for Wide Receiver Keyshawn Johnson.

But to feel the full impact of this disastrous trade on the franchise, you have to look back at the draft ramifications. The Seattle Seahawks used the Cowboy’s first round draft pick in 2000 to select Running Back Shaun Alexander. The Alabama alumni would eventually win the MVP award in 2005 and also lead his team to a bid in controversial Superbowl XL. He certainly would have made a nice addition to a Cowboy’s roster looking to replace an aging Emmitt Smith in the downward spiral of his career. (more…)