Cleveland acquired veteran guard Duane Putnam from Dallas on…
Cleveland acquired veteran guard Duane Putnam from Dallas on August 15, 1961 for its 1962 third-round selection, No. 39 overall. Putnam appeared in all 14 Browns games that season and made four starts before returning to Los Angeles in 1962. Dallas used the acquired choice on TCU lineman Bobby Plummer, who never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. Cleveland received the only realized NFL value.
Cleveland Browns Received
- player Duane Putnam
Dallas Cowboys Received
- pick 1962 third round pick (#39-Bobby Plummer)
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Dallas had selected Putnam in the 1960 expansion draft and used the former five-time Pro Bowler as its starting left guard during the franchise's first season. By August 1961, the Cowboys were willing to turn the 33-year-old veteran into future draft capital. Cleveland, an established contender, could use experienced line depth immediately. The clubs agreed on August 15: Putnam to the Browns for Cleveland's third-round choice in the 1962 draft.
What Cleveland Received
Putnam was no longer the All-Pro force he had been with the Rams, but Cleveland did get a functioning NFL player. He appeared in all 14 regular-season games for the 1961 Browns and made four starts. His Browns stay lasted only that season before he returned to the Rams in 1962, which limits the ceiling of Cleveland's grade. Still, the acquisition supplied actual veteran depth for a full season at the cost of one third-round choice.
What Dallas Received
The surrendered pick landed at No. 39 overall, where Dallas selected TCU lineman Bobby Plummer. The Cowboys' own draft history explicitly traces that selection to the Putnam trade. Plummer, however, never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. Dallas therefore achieved the strategic goal of getting younger and acquiring a meaningful draft slot, but the chosen player did not convert that asset into professional production.
Final Verdict
Cleveland Browns Win. This is a modest win rather than a blockbuster: Putnam delivered only one Browns season and four starts. But 14 appearances are tangible value, while Dallas received no regular-season contribution from Plummer. Cleveland earns a B- for useful short-term depth; Dallas gets a D+ because the third-round asset was valuable in theory but produced no NFL return.