Green Bay acquired Bobby Thomason from Los Angeles in July…
Green Bay acquired Bobby Thomason from Los Angeles in July 1951 on a conditional look-see arrangement rather than for two picks that actually changed hands. Contemporary reports said compensation would be settled only if Thomason stayed; he was later returned to the Rams, and proposed first- and second-round demands were never completed. Neither club realized lasting value.
Green Bay Packers Received
- player Bobby Thomason (conditional look-see; later returned to Rams)
Los Angeles Rams Received
- other conditional future compensation (never finalized; proposed first- and second-round picks did not transfer)
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
The original row treated Los Angeles as if it had received 1952 first- and second-round picks, but contemporary Green Bay reporting tells a different story. The July 1951 arrangement was a look-see: if Thomason worked out, the clubs would agree later on a player or draft choice; if he did not, he would return to Los Angeles with Green Bay owing nothing. Pro Football Archives places the initial transfer on July 18.
What Green Bay Packers Received
Green Bay received temporary rights to Bobby Thomason and evaluated him during the 1951 season. The arrangement never became a permanent acquisition. Later reporting showed the Rams seeking premium compensation while Green Bay resisted that price, and Thomason was ultimately returned. The Packers therefore received short-term access to a quarterback but did not obtain lasting player value from the move.
What Los Angeles Rams Received
Los Angeles preserved Thomason's rights and eventually got him back, but the Rams did not actually receive the first- and second-round selections shown in the old package. Those picks were part of later compensation discussions, not completed consideration. Because the conditional terms never matured into a permanent exchange, Los Angeles should not receive credit for draft assets that never transferred.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Both clubs earn C grades because the arrangement functioned as a temporary trial that was unwound. Green Bay did not secure a long-term quarterback, and Los Angeles did not collect the premium draft package once attributed to the deal. Correctly treating the compensation as conditional removes the artificial Rams advantage and leaves a historically interesting transaction without a meaningful lasting winner.
Because Green Bay returned Bobby Thomason and the proposed premium compensation never formally changed hands, neither organization surrendered a lasting asset, leaving the conditional trial without meaningful realized value for either side.