Atlanta Falcons received 1972 sixth round pick (#146-Fred…
Atlanta Falcons received 1972 sixth round pick (#146-Fred Riley) in the exchange with New Orleans Saints. The sixth-round choice became Fred Riley, who did not create meaningful NFL value for Atlanta. Against the other side's return of John Mallory, that outcome supports a C- grade. The transaction is ultimately judged as Even Trade, with the grade reflecting realized football value rather than the name or nominal value of the asset on the trade date.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- pick 1972 sixth round pick (#146-Fred Riley)
New Orleans Saints Received
- player John Mallory
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints completed this transaction on 1972-02-01. Atlanta Falcons received 1972 sixth round pick (#146-Fred Riley), while New Orleans Saints received John Mallory. Historical transaction records support the package, allowing the deal to be judged by the football value each asset eventually produced rather than by its reputation on the trade date.
Atlanta Falcons Return
Atlanta Falcons received 1972 sixth round pick (#146-Fred Riley) in the exchange with New Orleans Saints. The sixth-round choice became Fred Riley, who did not create meaningful NFL value for Atlanta. Against the other side's return of John Mallory, that outcome supports a C- grade. The transaction is ultimately judged as Even Trade, with the grade reflecting realized football value rather than the name or nominal value of the asset on the trade date.
New Orleans Saints Return
New Orleans Saints received John Mallory in the exchange with Atlanta Falcons. John Mallory likewise did not provide New Orleans a durable return after the exchange, leaving little separation between the sides. Against the other side's return of 1972 sixth round pick (#146-Fred Riley), that outcome supports a C- grade. The transaction is ultimately judged as Even Trade, with the grade reflecting realized football value rather than the name or nominal value of the asset on the trade date.
Value in Hindsight
The documented exchange is clear enough to compare by actual return. The sixth-round choice became Fred Riley, who did not create meaningful NFL value for Atlanta. John Mallory likewise did not provide New Orleans a durable return after the exchange, leaving little separation between the sides. Taken together, those results explain the grade spread and whether the transaction produced a clear winner or remained close to even. The verdict follows the stronger realized return while still giving the other club credit for any useful contribution it received.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Atlanta Falcons receives a C-, while New Orleans Saints receives a C-. The grades reflect the documented package and the value that followed from it, with the margin scaled to the actual importance of the transaction.