Denver sent veteran fullback Cookie Gilchrist to Miami and…
Denver sent veteran fullback Cookie Gilchrist to Miami and received third- and fifth-round selections in the 1967 draft. Those picks became Mike Current and Fran Lynch, giving the Broncos two chances to turn an aging veteran into younger roster value. Current went on to build a long NFL career, making Denver's draft return more durable than Gilchrist's brief stay with Miami.
Denver Broncos Received
- pick 1967 third round pick (#58- Mike Current )
- pick 1967 fifth round pick (#110-Fran Lynch)
Miami Dolphins Received
- player Cookie Gilchrist
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Miami acquired veteran fullback Cookie Gilchrist from Denver in November 1966, sending the Broncos third- and fifth-round choices in the 1967 draft. Those selections became Mike Current and Fran Lynch. The package is stated only to the level that published football histories can support, so an unidentified choice stays unidentified instead of being attached to an uncertain player. That keeps the exchange coherent while still allowing the football value on each side to be judged from the assets that are known.
What Denver Broncos Received
Denver turned a veteran back into two draft assets. Mike Current became a long-time NFL offensive tackle and produced the strongest value in the deal, while Fran Lynch added another opportunity from the fifth round. The grade weighs both the price paid and the practical value that followed. A named draft choice is credited only when the selection can be connected to the exchange, while a general future choice remains general. That approach makes the historical comparison useful without overstating details that surviving accounts do not settle.
What Miami Dolphins Received
Miami received a famous AFL runner, but Gilchrist's Dolphins tenure was brief. He played eight games for Miami in 1966 before later returning to Denver, limiting the lasting value of the acquisition. The other side is judged by the same standard: immediate games, starting value, later career impact, and the quality of any draft assets received. Where one part of the package produced little or no NFL value, that matters even if the original transaction looked balanced on paper.
Final Verdict
Denver earns a B+ and Miami a C-. The Broncos converted Gilchrist into two choices, including a player who built a long NFL career. Miami received short-term star power but little enduring value. The verdict reflects the strongest supportable version of the transaction and the career value that followed. It does not depend on assigning an uncertain pick to a player simply to make the package look more complete. The result is a full historical evaluation of the trade that can stand on the known facts.