Baltimore traded linebacker Ron Porter to Philadelphia for…
Baltimore traded linebacker Ron Porter to Philadelphia for the 1970 third-round pick used on Ara Person. Person never played a regular-season game for the Colts and later appeared in only four NFL games with St. Louis. Porter, meanwhile, remained with Philadelphia through 1972 and contributed as a regular defender. The pick was real value in theory, but Baltimore failed to convert it into production.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1970 third round pick (#74-Ara Person)
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- player Ron Porter
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
On October 8, 1969, Baltimore sent linebacker Ron Porter to Philadelphia for a 1970 third-round draft choice. Colts historical records identify that selection as No. 74 overall, used on Morgan State tight end Ara Person. The transaction therefore created a clean value test: a proven defensive player for the Eagles versus the player Baltimore selected with the acquired pick.
What Philadelphia Got
Porter gave Philadelphia several seasons of actual defensive production. He joined the Eagles during the 1969 season and remained through 1972, appearing regularly and contributing in multiple roles. Pro Football Archives credits him with sacks in 1970 and 1971 and two interceptions in 1972. He was not a star-level acquisition, but he became a useful veteran over a multi-year span, exactly the kind of return a team hopes to secure when spending a mid-round pick.
What Baltimore Got
Person was selected 74th overall in 1970, but the pick did not pay off for the Colts. He was signed and then released without appearing in a Baltimore regular-season game. His entire NFL career consisted of four games for St. Louis in 1972, with no starts. Because the Colts received no regular-season production from the player chosen with Philadelphia's pick, the theoretical value of the third-rounder never became practical value for Baltimore.
Final Verdict
Philadelphia wins decisively. The Eagles surrendered a third-round pick but obtained a defender who contributed over several seasons. Baltimore used that pick on a player who never appeared in a regular-season game for the club. A B+ for Philadelphia rewards sustained useful production at a reasonable price. A D for the Colts reflects the failed conversion of meaningful draft capital into any direct on-field return.