Indianapolis Colts–New York Giants Trade History

Baltimore acquired defensive tackle Tom Finnin from the New York Giants on September 15, 1953 in a straight player-for-player trade for end Ray Pelfrey. Finnin became a four-season Colts regular, appearing in 44 games and starting 41 from 1953 through 1956.

Baltimore acquired halfback Henry Moore from New York on September 12, 1957, for the 1958 fifth-round pick used on Bobby Joe Conrad. Moore played 11 games with three starts in his final NFL season. New York later used Conrad's rights in a trade that brought Pat Summerall and Lindon Crow, giving the Giants much more downstream roster value from the acquired selection.

Baltimore acquired veteran offensive tackle Dick Yelvington from the New York Giants during the 1958 offseason for a future draft choice whose round and selection are not identified in the reviewed public record. Yelvington had started 61 of 62 Giants games over six seasons, but he never appeared in a Colts regular-season game and his NFL career ended after 1957.

New York acquired quarterback George Shaw from the Baltimore Colts for a 1960 second-round pick and a 1961 first-round pick. Baltimore used the second on Marvin Terrell and later moved the first-rounder in another transaction before San Francisco selected Billy Kilmer at No. 11. Shaw gave the Giants experienced quarterback depth, then produced additional value when New York traded him to Minnesota for the No. 2 pick in 1962.

New York traded linebacker John Guzik to Baltimore in early August 1961 for end Jerry Richardson. Richardson failed to make the Giants and was returned to the Colts on August 20, converting Baltimore's obligation into a future draft choice. Guzik also failed to produce a regular-season game for Baltimore before being released and later joining Houston of the AFL. The Giants therefore ended the exchange with an unidentified future pick while neither original player contributed in a regular-season game for his acquiring NFL club.

The Baltimore Colts sent Andy Nelson and R.C. Owens to New York on August 25, 1964, receiving Joe Don Looney, Lou Kirouac and the Giants' 1965 sixth-round pick, No. 71, Bobby Felts. Nelson started nine games for New York and Owens contributed briefly, but Baltimore later converted Looney in a deal for linebacker Dennis Gaubatz, who became a multi-year Colts starter and 1968 NFL champion.

New York acquired defensive back Wendell Harris from Baltimore in a straight player-for-player trade for defensive lineman Andy Stynchula. The deal was completed on February 16, 1966, not June 23 as the legacy row recorded. Harris played two seasons for the Giants, appearing in 27 games and intercepting two passes.

Baltimore traded defensive lineman Bob Lurtsema to New York on September 22, 1967, for the 1968 fifth-round pick used on Paul Elzey. Lurtsema became a multi-year Giants starter, appearing in 62 games and starting 57 from 1967 through 1971. Elzey did not create comparable Colts value, so New York turned a fifth-round cost into a durable starting defender.

Baltimore sent linebacker/tight end Barry Brown to the Giants for defensive back and Olympic sprint champion Henry Carr on June 12, 1968. Brown appeared in 12 games for New York that season before later continuing his career in Boston. Carr did not produce a regular-season appearance for Baltimore. The return was modest for the Giants, but it was still more tangible than what the Colts realized from Carr.

Baltimore acquired Earl Morrall from the Giants in August 1968, with tight end Butch Wilson becoming the final return to New York. Morrall immediately replaced an injured Johnny Unitas, led the Colts to a 13-1 record and won NFL MVP honors before helping the franchise win Super Bowl V two years later. Wilson never approached that impact, making Baltimore the overwhelming winner.

Baltimore sent defensive end Roy Hilton to New York on June 11, 1974, for running back Joe Orduna and a 1975 sixth-round pick that became Don Westbrook. Hilton immediately started all 14 games for the Giants in 1974. Orduna had only a tiny offensive role for the Colts, and Westbrook did not become a meaningful Baltimore contributor, giving New York the stronger return.

New York acquired reserve tight end Larry Christoff from Baltimore on May 2, 1975 in exchange for the NFL rights to defensive back Jim Sims. Official Colts records, a contemporary UPI report and transaction logs all describe a direct Christoff-for-Sims-rights swap, so the legacy undisclosed-consideration placeholders are removed.

New York acquired Lyle Blackwood on a conditional deal, but the Giants released him on August 31, 1981, before he appeared in a regular-season game. The Colts were owed a 1982 12th-round pick only if Blackwood made the Giants roster; transaction records mark that condition as not exercised. With zero Giants games and no draft asset realized by Baltimore, neither side produced football value. The correct result is D/D and Even Trade.

The Giants traded defensive back Kenny Daniel to Indianapolis on August 26, 1986 for the Colts' 1987 ninth-round pick, No. 225. New York used the selection on Nebraska guard Stan Parker, who did not record an NFL regular-season appearance.

New York traded nose tackle Jerome Sally to Indianapolis on September 2, 1987 for the Colts' 1988 seventh-round draft choice. That pick became No. 186 overall, tight end Danta Whitaker. Sally played 12 games and started eight for Indianapolis in 1987, while Whitaker spent his Giants rookie year on injured reserve and never appeared in a New York regular-season game.

New York acquired veteran tight end Tim Sherwin from Indianapolis on August 15, 1988 for the Giants' 1989 seventh-round draft choice. Sherwin appeared in three regular-season games for New York without a reception before injuries ended his playing career. Indianapolis used the acquired No. 185 selection on defensive back Charles Washington, who played all 16 games for the Colts as a rookie.

Indianapolis traded the 22nd pick in the 2001 draft to the Giants for picks 30, 91 and 193. New York selected cornerback Will Allen at No. 22, while the Colts used No. 30 on Reggie Wayne and the later choices on Cory Bird and Jason Doering. Allen became a long-term NFL starter, but Wayne's 1,006 catches, 13,566 yards and 80 touchdowns gave Indianapolis the decisive return.

New York moved up from No. 30 to No. 22 in the 2001 draft and selected cornerback Will Allen, sending Indianapolis picks No. 30, 91 and 193. Allen became a five-year Giants starter and delivered useful value. Indianapolis used No. 30 on Reggie Wayne, who became a franchise great and Super Bowl champion, making the Colts’ return decisively stronger.