Green Bay reacquired the rights to quarterback Zeke…

The Exchange

On January 28, 1971, Green Bay reacquired the rights to veteran quarterback Zeke Bratkowski from Minnesota. The Vikings received a 1972 third-round selection that became No. 59 and was used on Bart Buetow. The move reunited Bratkowski with Green Bay after his earlier playing and coaching history there, while Minnesota chose to turn his rights into draft capital.

Minnesota Vikings Return

Green Bay reacquired the rights to quarterback Zeke Bratkowski from Minnesota in January 1971 and sent the Vikings a 1972 third-round pick, No. 59. Bratkowski returned for six games with the Packers in 1971, while Minnesota used the acquired choice on Bart Buetow. The pick carried more nominal value, but neither return became a major long-term prize, leaving the trade close to even.

Green Bay Packers Return

Minnesota received Green Bay's 1972 third-round selection, No. 59, for the rights to veteran quarterback Zeke Bratkowski. The Packers brought Bratkowski back for a six-game 1971 stint, and the Vikings used the pick on Bart Buetow without gaining a major long-term contributor. Each club achieved its immediate objective, and the limited downstream production supports matching B- grades.

Value in Hindsight

Minnesota held the more attractive paper asset because a third-round pick offered developmental upside, yet the eventual player outcome did not create a large advantage. Green Bay received only a brief return from Bratkowski, but it was a deliberate veteran acquisition rather than a failed projection. Neither side translated the transaction into sustained high-level production.

Final Verdict

The most defensible result is even at B- for both teams. Minnesota deserves credit for extracting a third-round pick from Bratkowski's rights, while Green Bay received the veteran it specifically wanted for 1971. Because neither Buetow nor Bratkowski produced a major long-term return from this transaction, there is not enough separation for a winner.