Minnesota traded veteran cornerback Charlie Stukes to the…
Minnesota traded veteran cornerback Charlie Stukes to the Rams on August 28, 1973, for a 1974 fifth-round selection, No. 128. Minnesota did not ultimately use the pick on Monroe Eley; the Vikings traded that choice to Philadelphia days later for linebacker Ron Porter. Stukes immediately became a two-year starter in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Rams Received
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 1974 fifth round pick (#128, subsequently traded; Monroe Eley)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On August 28, 1973, Minnesota sent cornerback Charlie Stukes to the Los Angeles Rams for a 1974 fifth-round draft choice that became pick No. 128. The draft history is important: Minnesota did not use No. 128 on Monroe Eley. On September 7, the Vikings traded that same pick to Philadelphia for linebacker Ron Porter, and the selection later passed again before Eley was drafted.
Minnesota Vikings Return
Minnesota effectively turned Stukes into a movable fifth-round asset and then into Porter. Porter appeared in 13 games for the 1973 Vikings and was part of a team that reached the Super Bowl. His Minnesota stay was brief, but the Vikings did extract immediate roster use from the acquired selection rather than simply waiting for the next draft.
Los Angeles Rams Return
The Rams received the strongest direct player outcome. Stukes started all 28 regular-season games for Los Angeles in 1973 and 1974. He intercepted five passes in his first Rams season and seven in his second, giving the club immediate veteran production at cornerback. For the price of a fifth-round choice, that was a productive two-year return.
Value in Hindsight
Los Angeles clearly received more direct value from the named asset, but Minnesota’s side should be judged through the pick’s actual disposition. The Vikings converted No. 128 into Porter within days, so labeling the return simply as Monroe Eley would misstate what Minnesota received from the trade. Porter supplied one season of depth; Stukes supplied two seasons of starting play.
Final Verdict
An even C+/C+ verdict is defensible because Minnesota immediately recycled the draft asset into a veteran who played for a championship team, while Los Angeles got the better individual performer. The Rams have the stronger direct outcome, but Minnesota did not waste the compensation, keeping the overall separation modest.