Arizona Cardinals–San Francisco 49ers Trade History

Chicago obtained halfback Emil 'Red' Sitko from San Francisco in August 1951 for a draft choice. Available transaction histories confirm that a pick changed hands but leave the exact selection uncertain, suggesting only that it may have become 1952 No. 27 Gene Shannon. Sitko provided useful 1951 service; without a confirmed pick identity, the exchange remains balanced.

Arizona Cardinals received Doug Hogland, while San Francisco 49ers received 1957 fourth round pick (#46-Mike Sandusky). The Cardinals acquired Doug Hogland and San Francisco received the 1957 fourth-round choice used at No. 46 on Mike Sandusky. Hogland became a useful Cardinals starter, while San Francisco later included Sandusky in the Earl Morrall trade, making the original exchange competitive. Arizona Cardinals earns a B- grade, and the overall verdict is Even Trade.

The Cardinals acquired tackle Bobby Cross from San Francisco for an undisclosed draft choice. Cross immediately became a starter for Chicago and appeared in 23 games across two seasons, giving the franchise tangible value from the exchange. Because the exact draft return is not fully identified but the trade itself is established, Cross' documented contribution supports a B- grade and a Cardinals win.

St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals received Edgar Henke / Ed Henke in the exchange with San Francisco 49ers. Henke played all 14 games for the 1961 Cardinals, started ten, and recorded six sacks, providing immediate and useful defensive value. The supported hindsight grade is B. That mark reflects realized value tied directly to this transaction, with the overall result recorded as Arizona/St. Louis Cardinals Win.

San Francisco acquired John David Crow from St. Louis for Abe Woodson before the 1965 season. Crow immediately delivered a Pro Bowl year with 514 rushing yards and 493 receiving yards, then remained a productive 49er through 1968. Woodson was an accomplished veteran and gave the Cardinals legitimate value, but Crow’s multi-year offensive production and immediate 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage make San Francisco the clear winner.

The Cardinals received the 1968 second-round choice at No. 42 and selected Bob Atkins. Atkins went on to play more than one hundred NFL games, making the transferred selection the most substantial and durable return in the deal. That outcome supports a B+ grade within the Arizona Cardinals Win verdict. The grade reflects realized football value rather than the size of the original package.

St. Louis added Wayne Trimble and Walter Johnson, also identified as Walter Clarke, from San Francisco, while the record lists cash going to the 49ers. Surviving player histories complicate the transaction because Trimble's move is also described as a waiver claim rather than a conventional cash trade. With the exact mechanism and downstream value uncertain, neither side has a documented advantage large enough to separate the exchange.

St. Louis purchased defensive end Walter Johnson from San Francisco on September 4, 1968, leaving the 49ers with cash and the Cardinals with a former 1967 eighth-round pick. Johnson never appeared in a regular-season game for St. Louis and was released, while San Francisco at least converted a fringe roster asset into compensation. The modest but tangible return gives the 49ers the edge.

St. Louis Cardinals received Ken Willard in the 1974-05-06 exchange with San Francisco 49ers. Ken Willard gave St. Louis a veteran back, but the move came late in his career and did not produce enough sustained value to outweigh the three selections surrendered. The direct package is the basis for the hindsight grade, with later movement of an acquired selection treated separately. That supports San Francisco 49ers Win.

St. Louis acquired linebacker Jim Sniadecki from San Francisco on August 7, 1974. The 49ers received the Cardinals' 1975 ninth-round selection and used it on tackle Caesar Douglas. Sniadecki gave the Cardinals an established linebacker, while San Francisco recovered a late-round future asset. The direct outcomes remain modest enough to support only a narrow St. Louis edge.

San Francisco and St. Louis exchanged George Collins and Dan Audick in April 1983. Each club received a veteran player who offered depth, but neither side generated a lasting value advantage or meaningful downstream asset. With the transaction limited to the two players and the post-trade outcomes remaining close, an even C/C grade best reflects the modest result.

San Francisco acquired the No. 73 pick from St. Louis in the 1984 draft for Nos. 80 and 136. The 49ers used No. 73 on guard Guy McIntyre, who became a five-time Pro Bowler and a fixture on multiple championship teams. St. Louis selected Rick McIvor and John Goode with the return, neither of whom approached McIntyre’s sustained impact. San Francisco won decisively.

Phoenix traded running back Terrence Flagler to San Francisco on August 12, 1991, for a conditional draft choice that was not ultimately exercised. Flagler was cut by the 49ers later that month and soon returned to Phoenix, so the Cardinals received no draft asset and quickly regained the player. The unusual sequence left Phoenix with little lasting gain or loss.

Phoenix moved from No. 20 to No. 18 in the 1993 first round, sending San Francisco No. 20 and No. 116. The Cardinals selected tackle Ernest Dye. San Francisco immediately flipped No. 20 to New Orleans for No. 26 and No. 81, then drafted Dana Stubblefield at No. 26 while also owning No. 116. Stubblefield's impact makes this a decisive 49ers win.