Cleveland traded Jerry Rhome to Houston on January 27, 1970…
Cleveland traded Jerry Rhome to Houston on January 27, 1970 for Houston's third-round pick, No. 66. That choice did not become Cleveland's own drafted player: it was the conditional third-round payment Cleveland owed Dallas from the earlier Rhome acquisition, and Dallas used No. 66 on Charlie Waters. The record should preserve the acquired pick while making the downstream Dallas conveyance explicit.
Cleveland Browns Received
- pick 1970 third-round pick (#66; conveyed to Dallas, which selected Charlie Waters)
Tennessee Titans Received
- player Jerry Rhome
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On January 27, 1970, Cleveland traded quarterback Jerry Rhome to the Houston Oilers for Houston's 1970 third-round choice, No. 66. Pro Sports Transactions traces the same selection to Dallas because Cleveland's 1969 acquisition of Rhome from the Cowboys included a conditional third-round obligation if Cleveland moved Rhome before the 1970 draft.
Cleveland Browns Return
Cleveland traded Jerry Rhome to Houston on January 27, 1970 for Houston's third-round pick, No. 66. That choice did not become Cleveland's own drafted player: it was the conditional third-round payment Cleveland owed Dallas from the earlier Rhome acquisition, and Dallas used No. 66 on Charlie Waters. The record should preserve the acquired pick while making the downstream Dallas conveyance explicit.
Houston Oilers Return
Houston acquired quarterback Jerry Rhome from Cleveland on January 27, 1970 in exchange for the 1970 third-round pick that became No. 66. Cleveland immediately owed that choice to Dallas under the conditional terms of its 1969 Rhome trade, and Dallas selected Charlie Waters. Houston received a one-season quarterback contributor; Cleveland's return was principally the asset needed to satisfy its prior obligation.
Value in Hindsight
The current asset label is directionally correct but structurally incomplete because attaching Charlie Waters to Cleveland without the Dallas conveyance can misstate who ultimately exercised the pick. The corrected record should show Houston's No. 66 going to Cleveland and then to Dallas under the prior conditional trade. That keeps both the immediate consideration and the downstream provenance intact.
Final Verdict
The result is close. Cleveland receives C+ for converting Rhome into the exact pick needed to clear its Dallas obligation, while Houston receives C for one season of limited quarterback use. The key repair is not a dramatic grade change; it is the precise pick chain and the fact that Dallas, not Cleveland, selected Charlie Waters.