Baltimore moved Bob Wade to Pittsburgh with compensation…
Baltimore moved Bob Wade to Pittsburgh with compensation conditioned on whether Wade made the Steelers roster. The surviving transaction record confirms the conditional 1969 draft consideration but does not securely identify a downstream selection that can be credited to the Colts. Without a documented pick outcome or a major player return, Baltimore's side remains modest and uncertain.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1969 conditional draft pick (if Wade makes Steelers roster) (selection not identified)
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- player Bob Wade
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Baltimore Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers made this deal during the 1968 football year. Baltimore Colts received 1969 conditional draft pick (if Wade makes Steelers roster) (selection not identified), while Pittsburgh Steelers received Bob Wade. The exchange fits the roster-building logic of the era, when clubs regularly moved veteran rights and future draft capital to solve immediate needs. The terms are stated exactly at the level carried by the transaction record, without turning uncertain draft links into facts.
What Baltimore Colts Received
Baltimore Colts came away with 1969 conditional draft pick (if Wade makes Steelers roster) (selection not identified). The grade considers whether that return created usable roster value, a meaningful draft opportunity, or a later asset that can be traced with confidence. Baltimore moved Bob Wade to Pittsburgh with a conditional 1969 draft consideration tied to whether Wade made the Steelers roster. The surviving transaction ledger supports the conditional structure but does not securely identify a downstream selection, so the grade stays cautious rather than crediting Baltimore with a speculative pick outcome. Where the downstream path is uncertain, the evaluation stops at the strongest documented point rather than awarding credit for a speculative connection.
What Pittsburgh Steelers Received
Pittsburgh Steelers received Bob Wade. Its grade is measured by the same standard: practical football value, durability of the return, and any securely traceable later movement. Historical trades from this period can have incomplete paper trails, so the comparison favors documented outcomes over assumptions. That keeps both sides on equal footing and avoids overstating what the surviving evidence can prove.
Final Verdict
The final grades are Baltimore Colts B- and Pittsburgh Steelers B-. The verdict is Even Trade. Neither side has a sufficiently clear documented advantage to justify separating the grades, so the exchange lands as an even result. This is a complete historical judgment of the recorded deal while preserving uncertainty where the old transaction trail does not support a stronger claim.