St. Louis acquired linebacker Mike Strofolino from Baltimore…
St. Louis acquired linebacker Mike Strofolino from Baltimore for the 1967 eighth-round selection that became No. 202 overall. Strofolino appeared in 23 regular-season games for the Cardinals from 1966 through 1968 and started five in his final St. Louis season. That modest three-year contribution gave the Cardinals tangible roster value from a late-round draft asset.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Mike Strofolino
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1967 eighth round pick (#202-Lee Anderson)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
On October 22, 1966, Baltimore sent linebacker Mike Strofolino to St. Louis for the 1967 eighth-round selection that became No. 202 Lee Anderson. Colts historical material records the exchange directly, and the 1967 draft trail also identifies Anderson as the selection acquired from the Cardinals. The package is therefore clear enough to judge on the football value each club actually received.
What Arizona Cardinals Got
Strofolino was not a star, but he became a real contributor for St. Louis. He appeared in 23 regular-season games for the Cardinals from 1966 through 1968. His strongest season came in 1968, when he played all 14 games, started five at middle linebacker, recovered a fumble and produced four credited sacks. That is limited value, but it is tangible multi-season NFL value from a player acquired for a late-round choice.
What Indianapolis Colts Got
Baltimore used the acquired pick on Lee Anderson, an offensive tackle from Bishop College. Anderson signed with the Colts but never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. Pro Football Reference lists no NFL games for him, and Pro Football Archives shows that he was released by Baltimore before continuing outside the NFL. In hindsight, the Colts converted Strofolino into a selection that never supplied regular-season production.
Final Verdict
Arizona Cardinals Win is the appropriate result. Strofolino's 23 games and five starts are modest, so this should not be graded as a major historical steal. Still, St. Louis obtained actual roster value while Baltimore's pick produced none in the NFL. Arizona earns a C+ and Indianapolis a C-. The grades reflect the narrow scale of the transaction while recognizing that one side received several seasons of usable linebacker depth and the other did not convert its draft asset into an NFL contributor.
Strofolino's three-season contribution created the only sustained value.