Cleveland Browns–Detroit Lions Trade History

Cleveland transferred its rights to Doak Walker to Detroit on January 21, 1950, for the Lions' second-round pick, No. 18 overall, which became John Sandusky. Walker became a Hall of Fame centerpiece of Detroit's championship era, while Sandusky gave Cleveland multiple seasons of useful line play. Detroit received the greater long-term value.

Cleveland received Detroit's 1951 ninth-round pick, used on Burl Toler, and twelfth-round pick, used on Milan Seillers. Neither selection produced an NFL regular-season career for Cleveland: Toler's playing career ended after a serious knee injury, and Seillers also recorded no NFL regular-season service. The Browns therefore converted two outgoing players into draft capital that produced no on-field return.

Cleveland and Detroit completed a ten-asset exchange on June 12, 1951. The Browns received Charley Schroll, Ed Wood, Detroit's 1952 first- and sixteenth-round picks, and cash. The Lions received Jim Martin, Ed Pasky, Tom Lucia, Lowell Tew, and Dave Rakestraw. The draft selections became No. 10 Bert Rechichar and No. 189 Herb Neathery. Detroit's veteran package produced the stronger overall football value.

Cleveland’s 1953 third-round pick became guard Gene Donaldson, who played 11 games for the Browns in his lone NFL season. Detroit received Robert Lee “Bob” Smith, the Texas A&M fullback whose rights Cleveland had owned; after military service, Smith played 15 games for the Lions and was part of the 1953 championship team. Detroit gets a modest edge, C to C-, and the verdict is Detroit Lions Win.

Cleveland Browns received Dreher Gaskin. Cleveland received rookie end Dreher Gaskin. The available record does not show that this modest acquisition created a major long-term NFL advantage. That result supports a C for Cleveland Browns. The overall comparison is balanced because neither side created a clear enough edge to separate the grades. The grade reflects the realized player service and draft value tied directly to this transaction, without assigning extra credit for outcomes that cannot be traced confidently to the exchanged assets.

Cleveland received two useful layers of value for Roger Zatkoff. Lew Carpenter played 22 Browns games in 1957-58, rushing for 623 yards and six touchdowns. The acquired 1958 fifth-rounder became Jim Gibbons, whose rights Cleveland later sent back to Detroit for the 1959 fifth-round pick used on John Wooten; Wooten started 94 games in nine Browns seasons and made two Pro Bowls. Detroit still got a 24-start championship linebacker in Zatkoff.

Cleveland received the 1958 third-round choice at No. 34, used on Mel Guy. That was meaningful draft capital, but the resulting player did not give the Browns a return comparable to the veteran they sent away. That result supports a C- grade within the Detroit Lions Win verdict.

Cleveland Browns received 1959 fifth round pick (#53-John Wooten) from Detroit Lions in the 1958-09-24 trade. Cleveland used the acquired 1959 fifth-round pick on guard John Wooten, who became a long-term Browns offensive lineman and one of the strongest realized returns. Detroit Lions's return was Jim Gibbons. Detroit acquired Jim Gibbons. Those realized outcomes, rather than the labels on the assets alone, drive the hindsight grade.

Cleveland Browns received Bob Long (Wendell) and 1961 first round pick (#10-Bob Crespino / Bobby Crespino). Cleveland received Bob Long and the 1961 first-round choice used at No. 10 on Bobby Crespino. Long did not become a meaningful Browns contributor, and Crespino's Cleveland impact was limited relative to the quarterback value Detroit obtained. The premium draft slot gave Cleveland real opportunity, but the realized football return did not match the Lions' side. That result supports a C- grade for Cleveland Browns.

Cleveland turned Detroit's 1961 sixth-round pick into Frank Parker, who played 60 Browns games across five active seasons, made 17 starts in Pro Football Archives records and contributed to the 1964 NFL championship club. Detroit got 14 games from Willie McClung, including 11 at starting right tackle in 1960 before only three appearances in 1961. The longer, championship-era return gives Cleveland the B+ to C+ win.

Cleveland acquired Errol Linden from Detroit for the 1962 eighth-round pick later used on Frank Imperiale. Draft records support the trade and downstream selection even though another transaction log describes release-and-signing mechanics. Linden contributed to Cleveland and continued a long NFL career, while Imperiale never appeared in a regular-season game, making the Browns the clear hindsight winner.

Cleveland acquired Bill Glass, Jim Ninowski, Howard Cassady and the 1963 fifth-round pick that became Frank Baker from Detroit for Milt Plum, Tom Watkins and Dave Lloyd. Glass became a long-term Browns defensive fixture, while Plum and Watkins supplied Detroit with meaningful offensive value. The durable returns on both sides keep this large 1962 exchange close to even.

Cleveland Browns received Ken Webb; Detroit Lions received Floyd Peters. Webb played 12 games for Cleveland in 1963, carrying 12 times for 58 yards and catching two passes for two yards. Peters immediately started all 14 games at left defensive tackle for Detroit in 1963. The realized returns support Detroit Lions Win, with Cleveland Browns graded C and Detroit Lions graded B.

Cleveland Browns received the 1966 fifth-round pick used on Randy Schultz; Schultz played 14 games without a start for Cleveland and carried seven times for 32 yards before leaving after his rookie season. The team earns a C-, compared with B+ for Detroit Lions, and the hindsight verdict is Detroit Lions Win. That judgment reflects the concrete team-specific production, role and tenure created by the assets in this deal.

Cleveland Browns received 1973 draft pick (selection not identified) from Detroit Lions, while Detroit Lions received Bill Yanchar/ Billy Yanchar in the 1972-03-04 deal. In hindsight, Cleveland Browns's return did not separate far enough from Detroit Lions to justify a higher grade. The final grades are C for Cleveland Browns and C for Detroit Lions, producing a verdict of Even Trade. The rating reflects the documented package, the certainty of the consideration, and the football value that can actually be assigned in hindsight.

Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions exchanged Jerry Rush for 1973 eighth round pick (#203-John Bledsoe). Rush did not become a Browns contributor. Neither club found a productive NFL player in the direct return. In hindsight, Detroit Lions produced the stronger realized return, with the grade based on actual post-trade service and traceable downstream value rather than the nominal asset label alone.

Cleveland Browns received 1975 fifth round pick (#119-Jim Cope (a)) from Detroit Lions in the 1974-02-26 trade. Cleveland's acquired 1975 fifth-rounder became linebacker Jim Cope at No. 119. Detroit Lions's return was Ben Davis (a). Detroit received Ben Davis. Those realized outcomes, rather than the labels on the assets alone, drive the hindsight grade.

Cleveland Browns received 1978 third round pick (#67-Larry Collins); 1979 seventh round pick (#175-Jack Matia) from Detroit Lions. Collins contributed immediately as a runner and returner, and Cleveland also retained useful value from the later seventh-round asset and its downstream movement. The A- grade reflects the direct value Cleveland Browns realized from the transaction, with the final Even Trade call based on actual service and clearly traceable draft outcomes rather than projected value.

Cleveland acquired Gary Danielson from Detroit for a 1986 third-round pick that became guard Joe Milinichik. Danielson immediately started six games for the 1985 Browns, went 4-2 and threw for 1,274 yards with eight touchdowns, then remained useful quarterback depth. Milinichik later played 41 games with 16 starts for Detroit. Both sides received value, but Cleveland's quarterback contribution in a playoff season earns the narrow edge.

Cleveland acquired veteran nose tackle Jerry Ball from Detroit for 1993 third-round No. 68, which the Lions used on Mike Compton. Ball's Browns tenure was brief, while Compton developed into a long-term Detroit offensive-line starter and ultimately appeared in 151 NFL games. Detroit converted one third-round choice into substantially more durable value than Cleveland received.

Cleveland received the 101st pick in the 2002 draft and selected Kevin Bentley. Cleveland received the 101st pick in the 2002 draft and used it on Kevin Bentley. Bentley supplied useful defensive and special-teams value for the Browns, giving the club a practical return from a fourth-round selection. He did not need to become a star for the trade to work; steady roster contribution was enough. In hindsight, that result supports a B grade for Cleveland Browns in a deal ultimately judged as Cleveland Browns Win.

Cleveland moved up one spot from No. 7 to No. 6 for tight end Kellen Winslow, giving Detroit the 37th pick as the premium. Winslow eventually made a Pro Bowl and produced 3,106 receiving yards in five Browns seasons, but injuries cost him most of his first two years. The extra price became linebacker Teddy Lehman, making the move expensive even though Winslow became productive.

Cleveland acquired three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Shaun Rogers from Detroit for cornerback Leigh Bodden and a third-round pick used on Andre Fluellen. Rogers immediately made the 2008 Pro Bowl, started all 16 games and posted 76 tackles with 4.5 sacks. Bodden lasted only one season in Detroit, while Fluellen became a long-term rotational lineman, leaving the Browns with the higher-impact return.

Cleveland sent defensive lineman Corey Williams and its 2010 seventh-round selection to Detroit for the Lions' fifth-round pick, No. 146. Williams became a useful starter for Detroit, while Cleveland later moved the fifth-round selection rather than turning it into a direct long-term contributor. The Browns gained flexibility and escaped a contract that no longer fit, but Detroit received the more meaningful player value, making the original Cleveland-favored grade too generous.

Cleveland ultimately received the 2022 seventh-round selection at No. 223 and used it on Isaiah Thomas. Thomas appeared in 10 Browns games in 2022, recorded one sack, and made no starts. That gave Cleveland some reserve defensive-line value, but the contribution was limited and did not match the quarterback starts Detroit received from David Blough.

Cleveland moved down in the 2021 draft and received No. 153 Tony Fields plus a 2022 fourth-round pick that became No. 107. The Browns later traded No. 107, so Dameon Pierce was not Cleveland's direct selection from this exchange. Fields provided useful depth, but Derrick Barnes became the most impactful direct player, leaving Cleveland on the weaker side of the hindsight result.

Cleveland Browns received 2025 6th round pick (204th overall subsequently traded, Ajani Cornelius) from Detroit Lions, giving up Donovan Peoples-Jones. The later draft trail identifies Cleveland's selection as No. 204 after another move. The return supports a B grade because the value directly tied to this deal fits that mark. The final verdict is Cleveland Browns Win.

Detroit acquired Za'Darius Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick from Cleveland at the 2024 deadline for 2025 fifth- and 2026 sixth-round selections. Smith gave a contender needed pass-rush help after Aidan Hutchinson's injury, while Cleveland converted a veteran into two future assets. Detroit gets the win for immediate competitive value, but Cleveland's return was meaningful enough to keep the grades close.