Mitch Johnson NFL Trade History

Washington's 1966 deal with Dallas ultimately brought Brig Owens, Mitch Johnson and Jake Kupp in exchange for Jim Steffen and a 1967 fifth-round pick used on Willie Parker. Owens became the defining piece, spending 12 seasons in Washington and recording 36 interceptions. Dallas received legitimate consideration, but nothing in its return approached Owens' sustained impact, leaving Washington with the clear advantage in hindsight.

Washington completed a multi-player trade with Dallas on August 30, 1966, acquiring Brig Owens, Mitch Johnson and Jake Kupp for veteran defensive back Jim Steffen and Washington's 1967 fifth-round pick. Owens became the centerpiece: he played 12 seasons for Washington, intercepted 36 passes and started 124 games. Johnson also started all 14 games in 1966, while Kupp appeared in all 14 before the 1967 expansion draft.

On 1969-09-09, Los Angeles Rams received Mitch Johnson, while Washington received draft pick. The hindsight verdict is Los Angeles/Cleveland/St. Louis Rams Win, with Los Angeles Rams graded B and Washington graded C+. The evaluation follows the documented consideration and the football value that can be traced from it, while keeping unverified downstream pick identities or conditional outcomes out of the final judgment.

Los Angeles acquired Joe Taffoni and Cleveland’s 1972 third-round pick, which became Lawrence McCutcheon, for Mitch Johnson and a 1972 fifth-rounder that became Greg Kucera. Taffoni was quickly moved again, but McCutcheon became a five-time Pro Bowl running back and one of the defining Rams skill players of the decade. Cleveland’s return never approached that level, creating a clear Rams victory.

Washington sent linebacker Bob Grant and its 1973 eighth-round pick, No. 207, to New Orleans on June 16, 1972 for the Saints' 1973 third-round choice, No. 54. Washington later moved No. 54 to Cleveland for tackle Mitch Johnson and a 1974 eighth-round pick, No. 196 Darwin Robinson. Neither Johnson nor Robinson produced a Washington regular-season appearance.

Cleveland acquired the Saints' 1973 third-round selection, No. 54, a meaningfully stronger piece of draft capital than the assets it sent away. The pick later became part of the Rich Jackson transaction, illustrating the flexibility of the asset without turning Jackson into direct consideration here. Cleveland's incoming third-round value gives it the stronger side of this exchange.