Arizona Cardinals–Cleveland Browns Trade History

Arizona Cardinals received Burl Toler. The Cardinals received Burl Toler, but he did not appear in an NFL regular-season game for the franchise. Toler later became historically important as an NFL official, yet that career cannot be credited as playing value from the Cardinals' side of this trade.

The Cardinals acquired Don Gillis from Cleveland for a conditional 1959 eighth-round choice that became No. 87, Bob Ptacek. Gillis immediately started all 12 games for Chicago in 1958, giving the franchise a full season of starting value from a late-round price. That immediate production supports a B- grade and makes the Cardinals the stronger side of the exchange.

On 1959-08-04, Arizona Cardinals received Tom Catlin, while Cleveland Browns received 1960 draft pick (undisclosed). The hindsight verdict is Even Trade, with Arizona Cardinals graded C+ and Cleveland Browns graded C+. The evaluation follows the documented consideration and the football value that can be traced from it, while treating conditional terms and later draft outcomes as context rather than as assets exchanged directly on trade day.

Cleveland acquired safety Don Fleming from the Cardinals for its 1961 sixth-round pick. Fleming became an immediate Browns starter, starting all 38 games he played over three seasons and intercepting 10 passes. The Cardinals used pick No. 83 on Dick Thornton, who chose the CFL and never played an NFL game. Cleveland turned a sixth-round choice into an outstanding short-career starter.

Arizona Cardinals received Prentice Gautt and Tazwell Anderson / Taz Anderson. Arizona received Prentice Gautt and Taz Anderson. Both players went on to provide meaningful production for the Cardinals, giving Arizona two useful contributors from a deal that cost quarterback John Roach. Their combined on-field return was clearly stronger than the value Cleveland ultimately recovered from Roach and the later draft choice tied to him. That result supports a A- grade for Arizona Cardinals.

St. Louis received four 1973 games from Andy Dorris and later retained enough value to trade him again. That modest but real return beats Cleveland's non-playing draft selection. The grade remains tied to documented value for the acquiring club, without assigning credit for unresolved or hypothetical downstream consideration.

St. Louis Cardinals received Neal Craig in the 1977-05-04 exchange with Cleveland Browns, giving up 1977 seventh round pick (#189-Bob Lingenfelter). St. Louis acquired safety Neal Craig in exchange for a seventh-round selection. That return supports a C grade for St. Louis Cardinals. The final verdict is Cleveland Browns Win, based on the football value tied directly to the assets in this deal.

Cleveland acquired veteran defensive end Al 'Bubba' Baker from the Cardinals in September 1987 for a 1988 fifth-round pick that became No. 132, Tony Jordan. The Browns bought immediate pass-rush experience, while Arizona converted a veteran into future draft capital. Neither return became a franchise-changing asset, but the Cardinals' retained pick value gives them a narrow edge.

Arizona moved up seven spots in the 2015 fourth round, acquiring No. 116 and drafting defensive lineman Rodney Gunter. Cleveland received Nos. 123, 198 and 241, using them on Vince Mayle, Randall Telfer and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. Gunter played 77 games with 38 starts and 11 sacks for Arizona, while Cleveland's three-player return never approached that sustained impact, giving the Cardinals a clear win.

Arizona Cardinals received Jamar Taylor in the exchange with Cleveland Browns. Taylor appeared in 10 games with three starts for Arizona in 2018, then moved on after the season. His stay gave the Cardinals short-term secondary depth but no extended return. The D grade reflects the direct value Arizona Cardinals realized from the deal, while the Cleveland Browns Win call weighs actual regular-season service and clearly connected draft value rather than name recognition alone.

Arizona acquired quarterback Joshua Dobbs plus a 2024 seventh-round pick. Dobbs immediately started eight games for the Cardinals in 2023, throwing for 1,569 yards and eight touchdowns before Arizona later traded him. The seventh-round asset added retained transaction value. Even though Dobbs was a short-term solution, eight starts at quarterback provided meaningful immediate value and gave Arizona the stronger realized return.