Detroit Lions received 1973 third round pick (#75-Levi…
Detroit Lions received 1973 third round pick (#75-Levi Johnson), while Los Angeles Rams received Al Clark. Detroit sent Al Clark to Los Angeles for the Rams' 1973 third-round choice, later No. 75 Levi Johnson. The supported history provides enough detail to judge the exchange without overstating uncertain downstream information. Detroit Lions earns a B grade, and the overall verdict is Detroit Lions Win.
Detroit Lions Received
- pick 1973 third round pick (#75-Levi Johnson)
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Al Clark
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1972-08-22, Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams completed an exchange in which Detroit Lions received 1973 third round pick (#75-Levi Johnson), while Los Angeles Rams received Al Clark. The deal was modest in scale, but its core terms are clear enough to evaluate. The useful question is what each club actually turned the acquired player or selection into, rather than what the asset might have become in a different setting.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit Lions came away with 1973 third round pick (#75-Levi Johnson). That side receives a B. The grade reflects direct football value from the acquired asset, including regular-season contribution, starting work, or identifiable draft value where applicable. A smaller return can still be useful, but the score stays proportional to the size of the exchange and the length of the benefit.
Los Angeles Rams Return
Los Angeles Rams received Al Clark, which earns a B-. The same standard applies here. Immediate playing time counts, durable production counts more, and a selection that never produces meaningful NFL value receives limited credit. The comparison does not award extra value for possibilities that the historical record does not firmly establish.
Value in Hindsight
Detroit sent Al Clark to Los Angeles for the Rams' 1973 third-round choice, later No. 75 Levi Johnson. Current Lions history supports August 22, 1972, and the parenthetical marker attached to Clark's name is not part of his name. That supported outcome gives the clearest hindsight measure of the transaction. Minor date or pick-identity uncertainty remains visible when necessary, but it does not erase an exchange whose base terms are supported. The evaluation therefore follows the value that can be tied directly to what each club received.
Final Verdict
The final judgment is Detroit Lions Win, reflecting the stronger supported return in hindsight. Detroit Lions receives B, while Los Angeles Rams receives B-. The grades are intentionally scaled to the deal: a useful role or late-round return can win an exchange without being treated like a franchise-changing haul. The final call rests on realized football value and the strongest supported description of the package.