RANS- NFL DRAFT- BLOCKBUSTER DEAL

[Bretsky]

Any thoughts on this ? At risk of being beaten up, this seems like a deal Ron Wolf would make.

I grew up liking the Rams because I hated Dallas, Staubach and Dorsett.........etc.......and Vinne Ferragamo and Wendle Tyler gave them the best run in the 80's.

The Rams have did a marvelous job using the draft to stockpile talent of Defense, got a potentially franchise RB, but need to find a QB to give them a chance to be elite.

The Rams GM has Stones

[Tony Oday]

Rams got fleeced.

[mraynrand]

ALSO RANS!!!

[Patler]

Any thoughts on this ? At risk of being beaten up, this seems like a deal Ron Wolf would make.


Seems more like a trade Dan Devine would (did) make.

[Tony Oday]

Seems like the Hershel Walker Trade

[Zool]

If Ron Wolf made this trade, his dog would have been crucified on his front yard. Some of the worst trades in history are the draft trades where one team moves into the top 2-3 and gives up consecutive years of 1st and 2nd round drafts. If you're the Rams and you think you're a QB away from the superbowl, maybe this is a good idea. If the guy tanks, which mathematically speaking he is likely to, they are all fired. If he's average, they are all fired in 2 years.

[Pugger]

The real question is are Wentz or Goff worth it? Assessing collegiate QBs appears to be an inexact science to be charitable. There are too many QBs to count that were good in college but sucked in the pros.

[pbmax]

I think the real comparison here is Bobby Beathard. Few good GMs traded more first round picks for now than Beathard. In the old days, he had some success with it.

Its a huge risk and for it to work, they need to land Peyton Manning, Rodgers or Brady. If they get Andy Dalton, it hurts in a big way.

[Deputy Nutz]

These deals never seem to work out well for the team moving up in the draft or giving the most away in the trade.

The Giants did win two Super Bowls but they seem like the only team in recent history to survive deals like these.

I hate this trade because I don't think you have a particularly strong quarterback in this draft that is worth moving up for. I am sure the Rams have done their studies and all but goddamn that is a lot to give up for a position that doesn't even have the best rated player in the draft.

Good for the Titans. If they manage to use those picks and make smart decisions expect the Titans to compete for the AFC in two to three years.

[BZnDallas]

Love the Titans in this trade. Time to put talent around their guy Mariota. However, like the Rams in the RGIII deal, it all depends on who you choose with the draft picks. The Rams fleeced Washington but didnt really utilize the picks. They do have talent, but are they a QB away. They seem to think so. Im not so sure.

[pbmax]

I also think Wolf would be after a mid first to a high second round QB from the 15th spot. He traded for 2nd round pick Favre, not Rich Mirer.

[Deputy Nutz]

You kinda have to fall into your QB of the future. The Rams might have some quality pieces right now but 3 years from now their cupboards are going to be a bit bare. You have to accumulate draft picks to keep your roster full of promise. I hate Thompson because he seems to never alter strategy to make the push to win the Super Bowl, but it is hard to argue with his strategy to keep the Packers as one of the top 10 teams in the NFL.

[Patler]

I also think Wolf would be after a mid first to a high second round QB from the 15th spot. He traded for 2nd round pick Favre, not Rich Mirer.

Although he did subsequently sign Mirer and then trade him to the Jets a year later! :-)

[woodbuck27]

Big risk here for the RAMS.

Clearly The Titans won this trade as it appears on paper.

[Upnorth]

Well the Rams are obviously committed to the win now approach.

[Guiness]

Well the Rams are obviously committed to the win now approach.

I don't know if I'd say that. I think they just realize there is one piece you have to have in place to be competitive - a QB. There have been a couple of instances over the past 20 years of a team winning it all with a strong defense and no elite QB, but year after year you need the pivot to be in it.

If they land that QB, they've got 10+ years of being patient ahead of them.

[Carolina_Packer]

ALSO RANS!!!

They could call themselves the Rands and their logo could be Atlas shrugging.

[ThunderDan]

The Rams gave away too many future pieces for 1 piece today.

I predict this trade makes the Titans a Super Bowl participant in 3-5 years.

[Bretsky]

IF the Rams get a franchise QB out of this some will sing a different tune to this deal in a few years.

If they get an Andy Dalton type of QB or anything less than a superstar this was most likely a bad deal.

[Carolina_Packer]

IF the Rams get a franchise QB out of this some will sing a different tune to this deal in a few years.

If they get an Andy Dalton type of QB or anything less than a superstar this was most likely a bad deal.

Funny tweet that I read after this happened was something like "Jeff Fisher finally helping the Titans win."

I agree that if they don't get a franchise QB out of this deal, then they will have failed. Worse, if it turns out that the guy they could have picked at 15 (someone like Paxton Lynch) becomes a franchise QB and the guy they moved up for is not. Worst of all, though, might be doing nothing, going 8-8 again with a good defense and running game, and possibly seeing the guy you should have gone after being "the man" for someone else.

Nobody wants to lose all those picks of course, but they considered themselves to be a franchise QB away from being a contending team, so more mediocre QB play wasn't going to cut it anymore. They needed "the man", the Titans have what they feel is "the man" and the Titans need pieces around him. It really can work for everyone, but also, I can't imagine the pressure that this might put on either Wentz or Goff.

[Fritz]

Seems like the Hershel Walker Trade

Or the Ricky Williams trade.

Or the John Hadl trade.

Stones? Yes.

Brains? Not so much. Unless, as you say, the QB they take becomes all-world.

[red]

The real question is are Wentz or Goff worth it? Assessing collegiate QBs appears to be an inexact science to be charitable. There are too many QBs to count that were good in college but sucked in the pros.

IMO no, neither guy is worth it

the titans won this deal by a landslide

horrible desperate move by the rams trying to make big headlines in LA

[yetisnowman]

What surprised me was the fact that after the trade, "sources" claimed the Rams were now deciding between Goff and Wentz. Seems like a pretty dramatic move to make without having your franchise qb pegged. Maybe it's just smokescreens. Personally, I'd be surprised if Goff wasn't the better of the two pros, but still not worth what they gave up. Great move for Tennessee.

[Freak Out]

Was Akira Kurosawa part of the deal?

[Striker]

Gamble for Snead and Fischer...but what's the worst thing that happens, him and Fisher get fired?

That's likely with the current QB grouping on their team so it makes sense...even though they paid a lot to move up.

[Carolina_Packer]

Gamble for Snead and Fischer...but what's the worst thing that happens, him and Fisher get fired?

That's likely with the current QB grouping on their team so it makes sense...even though they paid a lot to move up.

If you believe Einstein, it would be insanity for them to do the same thing (get a re-tread QB) and expect different results. By all accounts, teams that have interviewed Wentz have said he has it from the neck up in spades, in fact, they say it's not even close when it comes to the grease board vs. the other QB's in this class. Plenty of guys have it physically, but then can't handle the mental volume of info that is NFL QB. Wentz is certainly not a finished product, but if you like what you see, you have to take your chances and not wonder what might have been. As Striker said, the worst thing that could happen is you lose your job, which may be the outcome of not doing this.

You can't really compare this move to the desperation of a trade like the John Hadl trade. That was just a delusional move by Dan Devine on a team that had no shot to contend with or without Hadl. I blame the Packers leadership at the time for giving Devine the power to make that move.

The move makes some sense for both teams. One team has the man, the other team needs the man. One team has a well-developed team defense and run game, and the other team needs most everything except for QB. I think the move says a lot about what the Rams think of Wentz. Could be Goff, but less likely.

[Fritz]

If you believe Einstein, it would be insanity for them to do the same thing (get a re-tread QB) and expect different results. By all accounts, teams that have interviewed Wentz have said he has it from the neck up in spades, in fact, they say it's not even close when it comes to the grease board vs. the other QB's in this class. Plenty of guys have it physically, but then can't handle the mental volume of info that is NFL QB. Wentz is certainly not a finished product, but if you like what you see, you have to take your chances and not wonder what might have been. As Striker said, the worst thing that could happen is you lose your job, which may be the outcome of not doing this.

You can't really compare this move to the desperation of a trade like the John Hadl trade. That was just a delusional move by Dan Devine on a team that had no shot to contend with or without Hadl. I blame the Packers leadership at the time for giving Devine the power to make that move.

The move makes some sense for both teams. One team has the man, the other team needs the man. One team has a well-developed team defense and run game, and the other team needs most everything except for QB. I think the move says a lot about what the Rams think of Wentz. Could be Goff, but less likely.

I disagree with the assessment of the Packers of that time as "a team that had no shot to contend with or without Hadl." That team had been in the playoffs in, what, 1972? They lost a low-scoring game to the Redskins, and the major problem was that Scott Hunter was the Packer QB and teams could just load up in the box and stop Brockington.

It was undeniably a stupid, stupid trade, as Hadl was already on the downside of his career and the Packers gave up a shit ton of high picks. But had the Packers had a really good QB, they might well have contended.

[Guiness]

No love for Sam Bradford out there. Rams trade away the former #1 overall (and final winner of the rookie deal sweepstakes) and trade in to the #1 slot for a QB a year later, and the Eagles, his current team, are reputed to be in talks to land the #2 pick in order to get whatever QB the Rams don't take!

Explain again why the Eagles signed him for what, $16M this year?

[Carolina_Packer]

No love for Sam Bradford out there. Rams trade away the former #1 overall (and final winner of the rookie deal sweepstakes) and trade in to the #1 slot for a QB a year later, and the Eagles, his current team, are reputed to be in talks to land the #2 pick in order to get whatever QB the Rams don't take!

Explain again why the Eagles signed him for what, $16M this year?

Perhaps they consulted with Jerrah Jones to see what he would do. He seems to like to sign backups at exorbitant cap numbers.

[mraynrand]

I disagree with the assessment of the Packers of that time as "a team that had no shot to contend with or without Hadl." That team had been in the playoffs in, what, 1972? They lost a low-scoring game to the Redskins, and the major problem was that Scott Hunter was the Packer QB and teams could just load up in the box and stop Brockington.

It was undeniably a stupid, stupid trade, as Hadl was already on the downside of his career and the Packers gave up a shit ton of high picks. But had the Packers had a really good QB, they might well have contended.

Maybe on par bad with the Hadl trade was blowing the #11 pick in '72 on Jerry Tagge. What did they expect from a Nebraska QB? He wasn't gonna be better just because he went to Green Bay West. Bunch of maroons (at least they got Willie Buchannon correct). To be fair, the Packers missed out of the QB run in '71 (Plunkett, Manning, and Pastoring went 1,2,3) and everyone missed on Fouts in '73 (drafted in the third round). Basically, QBs in the 70's pretty much sucked and were undervalued (in '73 no QB was drafted in the first two rounds - Danny White was picked first in the third).

[pbmax]

I disagree with the assessment of the Packers of that time as "a team that had no shot to contend with or without Hadl." That team had been in the playoffs in, what, 1972? They lost a low-scoring game to the Redskins, and the major problem was that Scott Hunter was the Packer QB and teams could just load up in the box and stop Brockington.

It was undeniably a stupid, stupid trade, as Hadl was already on the downside of his career and the Packers gave up a shit ton of high picks. But had the Packers had a really good QB, they might well have contended.

But he provided veteran leadership. I don't see how his actual performance could matter. He was 80-grit gritty.

[MadScientist]

The move makes some sense for both teams. One team has the man, the other team needs the man. One team has a well-developed team defense and run game, and the other team needs most everything except for QB. I think the move says a lot about what the Rams think of Wentz. Could be Goff, but less likely.
Even assuming that the guy they pick will be a really good one, they still are betting that they can hold the running game and defense together long enough for him to develop into a stud. After 3 years, the holes created by trading away 6 high draft picks will really start showing. Failing that, they have to really get lucky with late rounders and UDFA's.

[KYPack]

I disagree with the assessment of the Packers of that time as "a team that had no shot to contend with or without Hadl." That team had been in the playoffs in, what, 1972? They lost a low-scoring game to the Redskins, and the major problem was that Scott Hunter was the Packer QB and teams could just load up in the box and stop Brockington.

It was undeniably a stupid, stupid trade, as Hadl was already on the downside of his career and the Packers gave up a shit ton of high picks. But had the Packers had a really good QB, they might well have contended.

We've all talked about Devine and the Hadl trade before. In one thread, I made the comment that "The Devine era is actually worse than you remember if you go back and look at it." My man Fritz uses that for his tag line. But it isn't a joke. Dan Devine is the biggest abomination in Packer history and his regime actually IS worse than you remember if you go back and look at it.

As Fritz mentioned, the Packers won the division in '72. But in the following years, they were hamstrung by having no QB. Devine was tits up trying to find one. The Hadl trade wasn't the only stupid trade that Devine made looking for a signal caller. He traded 2 number two picks to the Dolphins for a bum named Jim Del Gaizo. If Del Gaizo tossed a ball into Lake Michigan, he probably wouldn't hit the water. Devine probably could have gotten Del Gaizo by waiting for the waiver wire cuts to come out, let alone dealing 2 high picks for this guy.

In the summer of '74, he traded a fifth round pick for QB Jack Concannon. 'Ol Jack was on the last legs of a shit career. Devine would have definitely done better on the waiver wire than trading for this goof. An old goof at that.

Then we go into the '74 season. The Pack still didn't have a QB, but they had some great pieces. They had picked up HOF LB Ted Hendricks. Known as "Kick 'em in the Head Ted", Hendricks was in a class by himself. You couldn't pass in his direction (he had 5 picks), run in his direction (he was all long arms and legs.)

The Packers went into their 5th game at 2 - 2 vs the best team in the league the previous season, the LA Rams, led by league MVP in '73, John Hadl. Looked like sure loss for the GBP. But it wasn't. The Packers beat the Rams 17 -6 in Milwaukee. It did look like a career move for Hadl. A move to the bench. Hadl completed two passes and was benched in the 3rd quarter. Hadl didn't look like his 34 years of age. He looked like he was 134. He sat on the pine with his helmet off and bald head shining.

3 Weeks later (and 5 high draft picks down the tubes) Hadl was traded for & was our starting QB. He really tore up for us. 3 TD passes FOR THE SEASON. Guess ya can't bitch too much, all the other shitty QB's threw for 2 TDS. WHY WAS THE TRADE EVER MADE? HADL SUCKED AND HE GOT BENCHED right in front of everybody. Nobody could figure it out then and nobody can figure it out now.

That's the last year for Devine. All those goofy trades and draft picks and 5 TD's thru the air. Devine quit GB and went to coach ND (a plum job). All us poor wienie GBP fans were left holding the bag.

One thing I've posted is true. The Devine era sucked, but it's WORSE than you remember if you go back and look at it.

[mraynrand]

But he provided veteran leadership. I don't see how his actual performance could matter. He was 80-grit gritty.

If you want to take off a layer of paint or wood, you really need to go down to 60 or 40 grit. In other words, Is he belt-sander gritty?

[Guiness]

We've all talked about Devine and the Hadl trade before. In one thread, I made the comment that "The Devine era is actually worse than you remember if you go back and look at it." My man Fritz uses that for his tag line. But it isn't a joke. Dan Devine is the biggest abomination in Packer history and his regime actually IS worse than you remember if you go back and look at it.

As Fritz mentioned, the Packers won the division in '72. But in the following years, they were hamstrung by having no QB. Devine was tits up trying to find one. The Hadl trade wasn't the only stupid trade that Devine made looking for a signal caller. He traded 2 number two picks to the Dolphins for a bum named Jim Del Gaizo. If Del Gaizo tossed a ball into Lake Michigan, he probably wouldn't hit the water. Devine probably could have gotten Del Gaizo by waiting for the waiver wire cuts to come out, let alone dealing 2 high picks for this guy.

In the summer of '74, he traded a fifth round pick for QB Jack Concannon. 'Ol Jack was on the last legs of a shit career. Devine would have definitely done better on the waiver wire than trading for this goof. An old goof at that.

Then we go into the '74 season. The Pack still didn't have a QB, but they had some great pieces. They had picked up HOF LB Ted Hendricks. Known as "Kick 'em in the Head Ted", Hendricks was in a class by himself. You couldn't pass in his direction (he had 5 picks), run in his direction (he was all long arms and legs.)

The Packers went into their 5th game at 2 - 2 vs the best team in the league the previous season, the LA Rams, led by league MVP in '73, John Hadl. Looked like sure loss for the GBP. But it wasn't. The Packers beat the Rams 17 -6 in Milwaukee. It did look like a career move for Hadl. A move to the bench. Hadl completed two passes and was benched in the 3rd quarter. Hadl didn't look like his 34 years of age. He looked like he was 134. He sat on the pine with his helmet off and bald head shining.

3 Weeks later (and 5 high draft picks down the tubes) Hadl was traded for & was our starting QB. He really tore up for us. 3 TD passes FOR THE SEASON. Guess ya can't bitch too much, all the other shitty QB's threw for 2 TDS. WHY WAS THE TRADE EVER MADE? HADL SUCKED AND HE GOT BENCHED right in front of everybody. Nobody could figure it out then and nobody can figure it out now.

That's the last year for Devine. All those goofy trades and draft picks and 5 TD's thru the air. Devine quit GB and went to coach ND (a plum job). All us poor wienie GBP fans were left holding the bag.

One thing I've posted is true. The Devine era sucked, but it's WORSE than you remember if you go back and look at it.

The Hadl trade is definitely made more bizarre by the fact Devine had just had a front row seat to him being benched, but still gave up a king's ransom for him.

[Bossman641]

Strange trade for the rams as i don't think either qb is worth what they gave up.

[Patler]

We've all talked about Devine and the Hadl trade before. In one thread, I made the comment that "The Devine era is actually worse than you remember if you go back and look at it." My man Fritz uses that for his tag line. But it isn't a joke. Dan Devine is the biggest abomination in Packer history and his regime actually IS worse than you remember if you go back and look at it.

As Fritz mentioned, the Packers won the division in '72. But in the following years, they were hamstrung by having no QB. Devine was tits up trying to find one. The Hadl trade wasn't the only stupid trade that Devine made looking for a signal caller. He traded 2 number two picks to the Dolphins for a bum named Jim Del Gaizo. If Del Gaizo tossed a ball into Lake Michigan, he probably wouldn't hit the water. Devine probably could have gotten Del Gaizo by waiting for the waiver wire cuts to come out, let alone dealing 2 high picks for this guy.

In the summer of '74, he traded a fifth round pick for QB Jack Concannon. 'Ol Jack was on the last legs of a shit career. Devine would have definitely done better on the waiver wire than trading for this goof. An old goof at that.

Then we go into the '74 season. The Pack still didn't have a QB, but they had some great pieces. They had picked up HOF LB Ted Hendricks. Known as "Kick 'em in the Head Ted", Hendricks was in a class by himself. You couldn't pass in his direction (he had 5 picks), run in his direction (he was all long arms and legs.)

The Packers went into their 5th game at 2 - 2 vs the best team in the league the previous season, the LA Rams, led by league MVP in '73, John Hadl. Looked like sure loss for the GBP. But it wasn't. The Packers beat the Rams 17 -6 in Milwaukee. It did look like a career move for Hadl. A move to the bench. Hadl completed two passes and was benched in the 3rd quarter. Hadl didn't look like his 34 years of age. He looked like he was 134. He sat on the pine with his helmet off and bald head shining.

3 Weeks later (and 5 high draft picks down the tubes) Hadl was traded for & was our starting QB. He really tore up for us. 3 TD passes FOR THE SEASON. Guess ya can't bitch too much, all the other shitty QB's threw for 2 TDS. WHY WAS THE TRADE EVER MADE? HADL SUCKED AND HE GOT BENCHED right in front of everybody. Nobody could figure it out then and nobody can figure it out now.

That's the last year for Devine. All those goofy trades and draft picks and 5 TD's thru the air. Devine quit GB and went to coach ND (a plum job). All us poor wienie GBP fans were left holding the bag.

One thing I've posted is true. The Devine era sucked, but it's WORSE than you remember if you go back and look at it.

The Packers have Saints QB Bobby Scott to blame for the Hadl trade. A week or two earlier, the Packers had a deal worked out to get Archie Manning, then a very young QB who the Saints were kind of giving up on. The Saints backed out of the deal with GB when Bobby Scott got hurt, and they had to turn to Manning as their starter.

Manning has said he knew he was going somewhere and that GB was one of about 4 teams it would be. Lee Remmel wrote that the Packers had a deal worked out with the Saints, to be announced after the weekend. Then Scott got hurt and Devine was scrambling to find a different QB.

Hadl wasn't a complete loss for the Packers, however. He, Ken Ellis and a couple draft picks were trade to the Oilers for Lynn Dickey. Hadl stayed a couple years with the Oilers.

Dickey made the Packers fun to watch in the late '70s and early '80s.

[Fritz]

The Packers have Saints QB Bobby Scott to blame for the Hadl trade. A week or two earlier, the Packers had a deal worked out to get Archie Manning, then a very young QB who the Saints were kind of giving up on. The Saints backed out of the deal with GB when Bobby Scott got hurt, and they had to turn to Manning as their starter.

Manning has said he knew he was going somewhere and that GB was one of about 4 teams it would be. Lee Remmel wrote that the Packers had a deal worked out with the Saints, to be announced after the weekend. Then Scott got hurt and Devine was scrambling to find a different QB.

Hadl wasn't a complete loss for the Packers, however. He, Ken Ellis and a couple draft picks were trade to the Oilers for Lynn Dickey. Hadl stayed a couple years with the Oilers.

Dickey made the Packers fun to watch in the late '70s and early '80s.


Wow. Would Devine be in the Packer Hall of Fame if he'd gotten Archie Manning?

[Fritz]

We've all talked about Devine and the Hadl trade before. In one thread, I made the comment that "The Devine era is actually worse than you remember if you go back and look at it." My man Fritz uses that for his tag line. But it isn't a joke. Dan Devine is the biggest abomination in Packer history and his regime actually IS worse than you remember if you go back and look at it.

As Fritz mentioned, the Packers won the division in '72. But in the following years, they were hamstrung by having no QB. Devine was tits up trying to find one. The Hadl trade wasn't the only stupid trade that Devine made looking for a signal caller. He traded 2 number two picks to the Dolphins for a bum named Jim Del Gaizo. If Del Gaizo tossed a ball into Lake Michigan, he probably wouldn't hit the water. Devine probably could have gotten Del Gaizo by waiting for the waiver wire cuts to come out, let alone dealing 2 high picks for this guy.

In the summer of '74, he traded a fifth round pick for QB Jack Concannon. 'Ol Jack was on the last legs of a shit career. Devine would have definitely done better on the waiver wire than trading for this goof. An old goof at that.

Then we go into the '74 season. The Pack still didn't have a QB, but they had some great pieces. They had picked up HOF LB Ted Hendricks. Known as "Kick 'em in the Head Ted", Hendricks was in a class by himself. You couldn't pass in his direction (he had 5 picks), run in his direction (he was all long arms and legs.)

The Packers went into their 5th game at 2 - 2 vs the best team in the league the previous season, the LA Rams, led by league MVP in '73, John Hadl. Looked like sure loss for the GBP. But it wasn't. The Packers beat the Rams 17 -6 in Milwaukee. It did look like a career move for Hadl. A move to the bench. Hadl completed two passes and was benched in the 3rd quarter. Hadl didn't look like his 34 years of age. He looked like he was 134. He sat on the pine with his helmet off and bald head shining.

3 Weeks later (and 5 high draft picks down the tubes) Hadl was traded for & was our starting QB. He really tore up for us. 3 TD passes FOR THE SEASON. Guess ya can't bitch too much, all the other shitty QB's threw for 2 TDS. WHY WAS THE TRADE EVER MADE? HADL SUCKED AND HE GOT BENCHED right in front of everybody. Nobody could figure it out then and nobody can figure it out now.

That's the last year for Devine. All those goofy trades and draft picks and 5 TD's thru the air. Devine quit GB and went to coach ND (a plum job). All us poor wienie GBP fans were left holding the bag.

One thing I've posted is true. The Devine era sucked, but it's WORSE than you remember if you go back and look at it.

I'd forgotten about all the quarterback futility. Two second round picks for Del Gaizo - I was but a lad at the time, but even then I knew something stank about Gai Del Jimzo. My gosh, Devine certainly did not value draft picks, did he?

And wasn't his nickname Ted "The Mad Stork" Hendricks because of those long legs and gangly wings? I recall that he was only around for one or two seasons and then was basically given away again, though he was a great player. Not sure why Devine wouldn't keep him.

[Patler]

I'd forgotten about all the quarterback futility. Two second round picks for Del Gaizo - I was but a lad at the time, but even then I knew something stank about Gai Del Jimzo. My gosh, Devine certainly did not value draft picks, did he?

And wasn't his nickname Ted "The Mad Stork" Hendricks because of those long legs and gangly wings? I recall that he was only around for one or two seasons and then was basically given away again, though he was a great player. Not sure why Devine wouldn't keep him.

Hendricks was in the final year of his contract when he came to GB, and had signed a futures contract with the WFL for the following season. That was why the Colts were willing to trade him. It was known all season that he was there only for one year. Hendricks didn't much care where he played that season, the next year he intended to be in the WFL on a big contract. But, the league folded. Fans got excited, thinking Hendricks would stay in GB, but Hendricks had no interest in returning to GB. While there was not free agency as we know it today, at that time a player with an expired contract could sign with another team, and sometime later the league determined "fair compensation" as if it was a trade. It was kind of a risky proposition signing another teams vet, because you didn't know what it would cost. As I recall, the league ended up awarding the Packers two first round draft picks from Oakland.

Hendricks was unbelievable the year he played in GB. I think he set the NFL record for blocked kicks in a season, with something like 5 or 6. (I suppose I could look it up!)

[Cheesehead Craig]

Right now, I'd say Tenn got the better end of this trade as I feel more players are better than just one, but let's check in 3 years when we know more about how it actually worked out.

[Patler]

I stand corrected. Hendricks blocked SEVEN kicks in the one year he played in GB.

[George Cumby]

Was Akira Kurosawa part of the deal?

It took me DAYS to see what you did there.

Esoteric. I like that.

[George Cumby]

Right now, I'd say Tenn got the better end of this trade as I feel more players are better than just one, but let's check in 3 years when we know more about how it actually worked out.

Right. The Oilers need to hit on their picks.

A few years ago, the Bay Area sports radio guys were all agog over the raft of draft picks that Baalke had. Well, a few years later, that raft of draft picks didn't produce and they now have Shit Kelly as their coach.

[Bossman641]

Man, from the way you old timers talk about devine I'm glad i wasn't alive. Obviously he was reckless with picks, but was the entire league more reckless then?

[KYPack]

Man, from the way you old timers talk about devine I'm glad i wasn't alive. Obviously he was reckless with picks, but was the entire league more reckless then?

The teams regarded draft picks as an asset & all, but they were as revered as they are now by teams.

George Allen, espec with the Redskins didn't believe in the draft at all. He traded his entire draft several times. George also didn't keep track of things real well. Twice he traded the same pick to different teams. Allen's philosophy was an old one in the league, "Rookies get ya beat".

[Patler]

The teams regarded draft picks as an asset & all, but they were as revered as they are now by teams.

George Allen, espec with the Redskins didn't believe in the draft at all. He traded his entire draft several times. George also didn't keep track of things real well. Twice he traded the same pick to different teams. Allen's philosophy was an old one in the league, "Rookies get ya beat".

A lot of factors made trades very common in those days. There were fewer teams, and rosters were a lot smaller, so only a couple rookies made the team each year, and generally in backup roles. They didn't have much situational substitution, so the starting 22 players took virtually all of the snaps on offense and defense snd even played on special teams.. Rookies weren't expected to make a lot of contributions.

Trades for players were very common, and draft choices were often involved. A player only a couple years younger than the starter wasn't going to play, because the starter was tied to the team for as long was the team wanted him. As a result, teams that had depth at a position would trade that depth for a starter at a weak position, or, frequently, for a draft choice looking to the future. Teams even traded with their biggest rivals. Thus, the Packers and Bears were often trade partners. A team might trade away its own first round pick to acquire a player, then acquire another teams first round pick by trading away another player.

High draft picks were viewed as valuable, but that value was used in a different way because overall player value was looked at and used differently.

[Guiness]

I assume the lack of a salary cap and even more so, no free agency played a part in that. Teams could be pretty sure of holding onto a viable starter for their entire career, instead of worrying as their rookie deal was coming to a close that they would bolt.