Washington sent tackle Walt Stickel to Philadelphia on August…
Washington sent tackle Walt Stickel to Philadelphia on August 17, 1950, and received the Eagles’ 1951 second-round selection, later used at No. 21 on Jim Staton. Staton played only eight NFL games for Washington without a start before continuing his career in Canada. Stickel, meanwhile, gave Philadelphia two seasons and started 10 games in 1951, producing the better realized return.
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- player Walt Stickel
Washington Commanders Received
- pick 1951 second-round pick (#21 Jim Staton)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The August 17, 1950 transaction sent Walt Stickel from Washington to Philadelphia for a 1951 second-round choice. When the draft arrived, Washington used that selection at No. 21 on Wake Forest tackle Jim Staton. The asset trail is unusually clean for a deal from this era because the pick and its eventual player can both be identified.
Philadelphia Got Immediate Line Help
Stickel had already been an established NFL tackle before reaching the Eagles. Pro Football Archives credits him with 12 games for Philadelphia in 1950 and another 11 in 1951, including 10 starts in his second Eagles season. That is a useful two-year return for a club that gave up one second-round selection rather than a proven cornerstone.
Washington’s Pick Did Not Last
Staton’s NFL outcome was much shorter. He appeared in eight games for Washington as a rookie in 1951 and did not start any of them. He then moved to Canadian football, where he built a longer career, but those later seasons did not create value for Washington. In NFL terms, the second-round investment produced only a brief reserve stint.
Comparing the Returns
Neither side landed a franchise-altering piece, so the grades should remain measured. The distinction is that Philadelphia received tangible NFL snaps and a season with 10 starts, while Washington’s chosen player never became a starter for the club. The Eagles therefore received more usable professional value from the exchange even though Stickel’s tenure was only two seasons.
Final Verdict
Philadelphia wins the trade. A B grade reflects meaningful short-term starting value without overstating Stickel’s impact. Washington falls to C- because the second-round choice was real capital, yet the player selected with it produced only eight non-starting NFL appearances for the team.
Stickel's twenty-three Eagles games exceeded Staton's eight-game Washington reserve tenure overall.