Buffalo turned the acquired fifth-round pick into Ben…
Buffalo turned the acquired fifth-round pick into Ben Gregory, who started all six games he played in 1968. Gregory rushed for 283 yards and a touchdown on 52 carries, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt. His career was short, but the Bills received immediate starting and rushing value from the pick.
Buffalo Bills Received
- pick 1968 fifth round pick (#114-Ben Gregory)
Cincinnati Bengals Received
- player Tom Rhoads
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Buffalo sent Tom Rhoads to expansion Cincinnati in 1968 and received the Bengals' fifth-round draft choice. Buffalo used that pick at No. 114 on running back Ben Gregory. Because the pick chain is known, this trade can be evaluated directly: Gregory's Bills production against whatever Cincinnati received from Rhoads.
Buffalo Bills Return
Gregory immediately supplied usable football value. He appeared in six games in 1968 and started all six, rushing 52 times for 283 yards and a touchdown at 5.4 yards per carry. He also caught five passes. His career did not become long or prominent, which limits the ceiling of the grade, but Buffalo undeniably converted the acquired pick into an immediate contributor.
Cincinnati Bengals Return
Rhoads did not provide Cincinnati with a comparable regular-season return. The available transaction and player records do not show meaningful Bengals game production or a durable roster role emerging from the acquisition. For an expansion club seeking veteran help, the trade therefore failed to produce the kind of usable service Buffalo extracted from the surrendered pick.
Value in Hindsight
The Bills did not uncover a long-term star, but six starts and 283 rushing yards are concrete value from a fifth-round choice. Cincinnati's side did not generate comparable regular-season production. That creates a clear but appropriately modest Buffalo advantage: one side obtained an immediate contributor, while the other received little realized on-field return.
Final Verdict
Buffalo wins, B- to D+. Gregory's short but productive 1968 stint gave the Bills a measurable return from the pick, while Rhoads did not supply Cincinnati with similar value. The grade gap reflects actual post-trade production rather than the nominal labels of player versus draft choice.