Baltimore acquired Eldridge Dickey from Oakland on January…
Baltimore acquired Eldridge Dickey from Oakland on January 28, 1972 for the Colts' third-round pick, No. 74. Dickey never appeared in another NFL regular-season game, while Oakland quickly used the pick as part of a draft-day move with New Orleans. The Raiders therefore converted a player leaving their plans into useful draft capital, giving Oakland a clear advantage.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Eldridge Dickey
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- pick 1972 third round pick (#74) [later traded with 1972 second round pick (#39-John Babinecz) to New Orleans Saints for 1972 second round pick (#33-Kelvin Korver)]
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Baltimore acquired receiver Eldridge Dickey from Oakland on January 28, 1972 for the Colts' third-round selection in the upcoming draft. Draft-trade material identifies the choice as No. 74. Oakland then included that pick with No. 39 in a deal with New Orleans to move up to No. 33, showing that the Raiders immediately converted the compensation into usable draft leverage.
What Baltimore Received
Dickey carried unusual talent and history as a former first-round selection who had entered professional football as a quarterback prospect before being shifted to receiver. By 1972, however, his playing career had stalled. He did not appear in a regular-season game for Baltimore and never returned to NFL regular-season action. The Colts therefore spent a third-round asset on a player who produced no measurable game contribution for them.
What Oakland Received
The Raiders recovered a third-round pick for a player who was no longer part of their active plans. Rather than simply using No. 74, Oakland packaged it in the draft-day move with New Orleans and improved its position. That flexibility represents clear value even without assigning every later outcome of the separate draft trade entirely to the Dickey transaction. Oakland successfully turned a non-contributing roster asset into meaningful draft capital.
Final Verdict
Oakland wins because the Colts received no regular-season production while the Raiders obtained and immediately deployed a third-round selection. The result is clear, though the pick was not premium first-round capital and its downstream value was partly tied to another transaction. B for Oakland and C for Baltimore captures a solid Raiders win without overstating the scale.