Green Bay kept defensive tackle Jim DeLisle after Baltimore…
Green Bay kept defensive tackle Jim DeLisle after Baltimore withdrew its claim in exchange for a 1972 ninth-round selection, No. 215 overall. The Colts used that pick on Gary Hambell, but it did not produce meaningful Baltimore regular-season value. DeLisle appeared in nine games for the 1971 Packers, giving Green Bay the clearer return from an unusual waiver-rights transaction.
Green Bay Packers Received
- player Jim DeLisle (Indianapolis withdrew its claim)
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1972 ninth round pick (#215-Gary Hambell)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
On August 18, 1971, Baltimore agreed to withdraw its claim on defensive tackle Jim DeLisle, allowing Green Bay to retain him. The Packers compensated the Colts with a 1972 ninth-round draft choice. Baltimore's own historical material identifies that pick as No. 215 and lists Gary Hambell as the player selected, making the unusual transaction traceable on both sides.
What Green Bay Got
DeLisle was not a long-term Packers starter, but he did make the 1971 roster and appeared in nine regular-season games. That is a modest return, yet it matters in a deal built around roster rights rather than a star player. Green Bay's goal was simple: keep a young defensive lineman it wanted after another club made a claim. The Packers succeeded and received actual season-long depth from the move.
What Baltimore Got
The Colts received a late draft choice and used it on Hambell. A ninth-round pick carried limited expectations even in the deeper drafts of that era, so the initial return was reasonable for withdrawing a claim. Hindsight is less favorable. Hambell did not become a meaningful regular-season contributor for Baltimore, leaving the Colts without comparable direct value from the transaction.
How the Value Separated
This was never a high-stakes exchange, and the grade gap should reflect that. Green Bay obtained the player it was trying to preserve and got nine games from him. Baltimore acquired a lottery-ticket selection that did not pay off for the Colts. The Packers therefore achieved more of the practical value available in the deal.
Final Verdict
Green Bay wins narrowly. DeLisle's 1971 appearances are enough to separate the sides because Baltimore's ninth-round return failed to generate similar Colts production. C+ for Green Bay and C- for Baltimore fit a useful but small Packers advantage.