Indianapolis Colts–San Francisco 49ers Trade History

Baltimore sent its 1961 first-round selection to San Francisco for tight end Dee Mackey, and the 49ers used the No. 11 pick on UCLA quarterback Billy Kilmer. Mackey never produced a regular-season receiving line for the Colts, while Kilmer became a useful multi-position 49er and later a long-term NFL starting quarterback. The first-round return gives San Francisco the decisive advantage.

Baltimore acquired Hall of Fame fullback Joe Perry from San Francisco in February 1961 for a conditional 1962 20th-round selection. Perry immediately became the Colts' leading rusher, gaining 675 yards in 1961 and adding 359 more in 1962. The 49ers surrendered an aging legend, but the extremely late conditional return never approached the two useful seasons Baltimore received.

The legacy record lists Baltimore Colts receiving Raymond Berry and San Francisco 49ers receiving 1965 third round pick (#42-Jack Chapple), but part of that date, identity, or downstream attribution remains disputed in the surviving historical record. An official Colts historical ledger and draft reconstruction carry a 1965 third-round choice to San Francisco on a line labeled for Raymond Berry, yet official career history shows Berry never left Baltimore. The supportable historical fact is the recorded pick movement; the player label is internally inconsistent, so this verdict does not

San Francisco acquired defensive lineman Dan LaRose from Baltimore for the 1966 seventh-round selection that became No. 105 Dave Ellis. LaRose appeared in five games for the 49ers during the 1965 season, providing the only regular-season NFL contribution directly produced by the exchange. Ellis never appeared in an NFL regular-season game, leaving Baltimore without comparable realized playing value from the acquired draft choice.

Baltimore acquired veteran guard Elmer Collett from San Francisco in June 1973 for a 1975 third-round draft choice. Collett immediately started every game for the Colts in 1973 and gave a rebuilding offense a dependable veteran presence. The 49ers received future draft value, but the transaction was essentially a straightforward veteran-for-pick exchange.

Baltimore acquired defensive back Mike Simpson from San Francisco for a 1975 seventh-round choice. Simpson was released in September before giving the Colts meaningful regular-season value. San Francisco retained a usable draft asset and later included that choice in the Tom Mitchell transaction before it eventually returned to Baltimore. The low acquisition cost limits the damage, but the Colts received too little from Simpson to match the value the 49ers preserved.

Baltimore sent veteran tight end Tom Mitchell to San Francisco in July 1974 and received three selections in the 1975 draft: No. 53 Mike Washington, No. 105 Roosevelt Leaks and No. 157 Kim Jones. Washington became a long-time NFL defensive back, while Leaks rushed for more than 2,400 career yards. The three-pick return gave Baltimore substantial depth and long-term player value.

Baltimore and San Francisco swapped very late draft capital on January 29, 1975. The Colts received 1975 selections used on Mike Evavold at No. 399 and Mike Bengard at No. 426, while the 49ers received 1976 15th- and 16th-round choices, including No. 449 Mike Fuhrman. None of the identified selections developed into a consequential NFL contributor, leaving Baltimore without a durable payoff from its side of the exchange.

Baltimore acquired veteran center Forrest Blue plus the return of its 1976 15th- and 16th-round choices. Contemporary team records describe San Francisco's compensation as a 1978 third-round pick, later used on Ernie Hughes; a later Colts listing also mentions a 1977 second, but its conditional status is unresolved. Blue gave Baltimore veteran line help, while Hughes became a useful 49ers starter. The returns were comparable.

Baltimore sent quarterback Marty Domres to San Francisco for cash and a future fifth-round pick that became No. 117 Frank Myers in 1978. Myers did not become a Colts fixture, but Baltimore later moved him to Minnesota for another draft choice. The Colts preserved useful asset value while Domres made only five appearances for San Francisco.

Baltimore traded defensive tackle Jim Krahl to San Francisco on September 23, 1980 for a 1981 tenth-round pick. Krahl appeared in two games for the 49ers without a start, so the return was small. The Colts used No. 256 on linebacker Greg Gerken, who did not play an NFL regular-season game. San Francisco gets a narrow win because it received the only measurable NFL contribution.

San Francisco traded picks No. 86 and No. 156 to Indianapolis on April 19, 1997 for pick No. 77. The 49ers selected tight end Greg Clark, who played four seasons for San Francisco and started 39 of 55 regular-season games. Indianapolis used the return on Bertrand Berry and Carl Powell; Berry played 42 Colts games with 13 starts, while Powell appeared in 11 games before continuing his career elsewhere.

San Francisco traded pick No. 96 to Indianapolis on April 18, 1999 for picks No. 99 and No. 171. The Colts used No. 96 on defensive back Paul Miranda, who played five games for Indianapolis. The 49ers used No. 99 on Anthony Parker, whose rookie year was lost to a torn ACL, and No. 171 on Tai Streets, who became a productive five-year San Francisco receiver with 2,008 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.

San Francisco converted the No. 42 pick into two selections: No. 126 in 2007, used on Dashon Goldson, and No. 29 in 2008, used on Kentwan Balmer. Balmer never started a game for the 49ers, but Goldson developed into a multi-year starting safety and later an All-Pro-caliber player. That high-end Goldson outcome outweighed Tony Ugoh's shorter starting run in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis moved up to No. 92 in the 2012 draft and selected T.Y. Hilton, sending San Francisco pick No. 97 plus a 2013 fifth-round selection. Hilton became a four-time Pro Bowler and finished his Colts tenure with 631 receptions, 9,691 receiving yards and 53 touchdowns. That decade of high-end production overwhelms the respectable value San Francisco later extracted from its two draft assets.

San Francisco moved down in the fifth round on May 2, 2015, sending pick No. 151 to Indianapolis for picks No. 165 and No. 244. The Colts used No. 151 on defensive tackle David Parry, who started all 32 games for Indianapolis across his first two seasons. The 49ers turned the return into punter Bradley Pinion and tackle Trent Brown, getting four seasons from Pinion plus 31 games and 28 starts from Brown before his later departure.

San Francisco traded up with Indianapolis on April 29, 2017, sending picks No. 143 and No. 161 to the Colts for No. 121. The 49ers used No. 121 on running back Joe Williams, who spent his rookie season on injured reserve and never appeared in a San Francisco regular-season game. Indianapolis used the return on Marlon Mack and Anthony Walker Jr., both of whom became multi-year starters and productive contributors.

Indianapolis sent the 13th pick in the 2020 draft to San Francisco for DeForest Buckner and immediately signed him long term. Buckner became a first-team All-Pro in his first Colts season, added Pro Bowl selections and recorded 43 sacks for Indianapolis through 2025. San Francisco moved from No. 13 to No. 14 for Javon Kinlaw and gained another pick used in later movement. Kinlaw never approached Buckner's impact, making this a clear Colts win.