Cleveland sent Don King and Gene Donaldson to Green Bay in…
Cleveland sent Don King and Gene Donaldson to Green Bay in April 1956 for the Packers' 1957 fifth-round choice, which became Henry Jordan at No. 52. Green Bay's own historical transaction record supports that fifth-round price. King played only briefly for the Packers and Donaldson was waived before the season, while Jordan gave Cleveland two seasons before becoming a valuable trade asset himself.
Cleveland Browns Received
- pick 1957 fifth round pick (#52-Henry Jordan)
Green Bay Packers Received
- player Don King
- player Gene Donaldson (a)
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Did
Green Bay's 1956 transaction history records an April deal sending its 1957 fifth-round choice to Cleveland for Don King and Gene Donaldson. Draft-trade records trace that selection to No. 52 overall, where the Browns chose Virginia lineman Henry Jordan. That evidence supports treating the King-Donaldson move as the fifth-round transaction rather than folding it into Green Bay's separate August deal with Cleveland.
Why Cleveland Gained More
The Packers did not receive much lasting production from the two incoming players. Donaldson was placed on waivers during August, before the regular season, and King appeared in six games before Green Bay released him in November. Cleveland, by contrast, turned the pick into Jordan. His greatest career achievements came later with Green Bay, but he still gave the Browns two NFL seasons and retained enough value to become part of another transaction.
How the Pick Should Be Viewed
Jordan's later Hall of Fame career should not be credited entirely to Cleveland because the Browns did not keep him through those championship seasons. The fairer point is that Cleveland obtained a young player with clear continuing value while Green Bay's two-player return disappeared quickly. That creates more separation than the old C/C treatment suggested, even without borrowing Jordan's later Packers accomplishments.
Final Verdict
Cleveland receives a B+ and the win for converting two expendable linemen into a fifth-rounder that produced a useful young player and future trade value. Green Bay receives a D because neither King nor Donaldson became a meaningful long-term Packer. The grade focuses on value actually controlled after this transaction, not Jordan's later Lombardi-era résumé.