5 biggest trade mistakes for the Seattle Seahawks in franchise history

No. 3 - Seahawks trade for Kelly Stouffer, give up multiple picks (1988)

To be clear, one of the picks that Seattle gave the then-Phoenix Cardinals was a first round choice. That should be remembered for why trading for Stouffer was such a bad idea. Add to that that Stouffer came with huge red flags after being chosen by the Cardinals sixth overall in the 1987 NFL draft. Then Stouffer sat out his entire rookie year so the Cardinals traded him in 1988 after Stouffer and the Cardinals could never agree to a deal. (This kind of thing wouldn't happen today as all the rookie contracts are slotted.)

Another issue with the deal, however, was that Seattle wasn't even going to have Stouffer be the immediate starter. Or the backup. When Stouffer was added to the roster, he was QB3. Still, the Seahawks thought it wise to give up three picks, including that first round choice, for Stouffer. Still, Stouffer managed to find himself playing by the fourth game of the 1988 season.

Starter Dave Krieg injured his shoulder and Jeff Kemp replaced him and was awful. At halftime of game four, Stouffer was put in as QB1 and, well...The end of a fairly good run for Seattle for the previous five years would start to come to a close. He ended up starting six games in the 1988 season and the team went 3-3. In the games Krieg started, the team went 6-3. The bad part was that 1988 would be Stouffer's best season in the NFL.

Between 1989 and 1992, Stouffer would start 10 more games. The Seahawks record in those games was 2-8. In those 10 starts, Stouffer threw 3 touchdown passes against 13 interceptions. He also completed just 48.1 percent of his passes. He did earn the starting job in 1992 but Seattle started the season 1-4 with Stouffer as the starter before he was injured. He was basically out of the league after the season. And to think Seattle could have still had the first-round choice they gave up for Stouffer.