The Ramifications of the Champ Bailey Trade

The Washington Redskins have made no secret of their passion for offseason action under owner Dan Snyder's reign. The team has traded high draft picks and allowed future stars to walk away in favor of the marquee free agent. This stigma is epitomized by the Champ Bailey trade after the 2003-2004 season. Taken with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft, Champ Bailey established himself as a great talent at corner very early on in his career. He had the luxury of playing with NFL legends like Deion Sanders and Darrell Green, which no doubt helped him learn the ins and outs of his position. To his credit, Bailey started every single game when he was with the Redskins. He totalled 18 interceptions during his five years with the team and was widely considered to be one of the best shutdown corners in the league. And he was only 25 years old. Champ Bailey started his career better than anyone could have expected and looked poised to become a cornerstone f...