Baltimore sent defensive back Tom Curtis to Los Angeles and…
Baltimore sent defensive back Tom Curtis to Los Angeles and received a 1973 seventh-round choice whose eventual selection is not securely identified. The Colts still converted a reserve player into usable future draft capital, while Curtis never delivered regular-season value for the Rams. The modest value of the pick keeps Baltimore's advantage limited, but it was more than Los Angeles ultimately received from the player.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1973 seventh round draft choice (selection not identified)
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Tom Curtis
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Baltimore's historical trade listing records defensive back Tom Curtis going to the Rams on July 31, 1972 for a 1973 seventh-round choice. The exact eventual selection is not securely identified, so the asset is kept as an unnamed seventh-round pick. This treatment uses the most specific contemporaneous or club-history description available and leaves any genuinely unidentified draft choice unnamed rather than attaching a speculative player.
What Baltimore Colts Received
The Colts obtained a future choice for a reserve defensive back who had played 24 games across the previous two seasons. The return was late-round, but Baltimore successfully converted a player it was prepared to move into draft capital. The return is evaluated on the assets that can be tied directly to the transaction, not on later guesses about uncertain pick chains. That keeps the historical package readable while preserving the limits of what can be established.
What Los Angeles Rams Received
Los Angeles acquired Curtis but did not get regular-season value from the move. He was cut by the Rams and subsequently claimed by Miami, where a knee injury kept him from playing during the 1972 season. The football result matters because a trade grade should reflect both the price paid and what the acquired asset actually delivered. Immediate roster value, later movement and retained draft capital all shape the comparison.
Final Verdict
Baltimore earns a B- and Los Angeles a D+. The Colts received a usable future asset, while the Rams gave up a pick for a player who did not remain on their regular-season roster. The modest pick value keeps Baltimore's win from grading higher. The grade is based on the strongest documented version of the exchange and the subsequent value each club received. Where later histories disagree on a peripheral detail, the uncertain detail is left general instead of being presented as settled fact.