rights to Bill Dudley

Summary: Pittsburgh sent the rights to reigning NFL MVP Bill Dudley to Detroit and received a package that included the 1948 third overall pick (used on Bobby Layne). Dudley had won the 1946 rushing title and MVP; Layne would become a Hall of Fame quarterback. Analysis: On the surface, trading the defending MVP for a package including the Layne pick seems reasonable, but the execution muddies the picture. Pittsburgh never maximized Layne, eventually letting him go (see 1947-0024) before he became an elite QB. Dudley continued producing elsewhere. Slight Pittsburgh lean given the draft capital acquired, but the downstream mismanagement of the Layne asset diminishes this win substantially.