Cincinnati traded running back Jess Phillips to New Orleans…
Cincinnati traded running back Jess Phillips to New Orleans for 1974 third- and fifth-round picks. The third-rounder became Dave Lapham, who played 140 Bengals games and started on Cincinnati's first Super Bowl team; the fifth became Haskel Stanback. Phillips gave the Saints two productive rushing seasons, so New Orleans received real value, but Lapham's decade in Cincinnati makes the Bengals the clear winner.
Cincinnati Bengals Received
- pick 1974 third round pick (#61-Dave Lapham)
- pick 1974 fifth round pick (#114-Haskel Stanback)
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Jess Phillips
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Cincinnati's official 1974 draft history shows that the Bengals acquired both the No. 61 third-round pick and the No. 114 fifth-round pick from New Orleans in a September 7, 1973 trade. Cincinnati sent running back Jess Phillips to the Saints. The Bengals used the third-round choice on offensive lineman Dave Lapham and the fifth-rounder on Haskel Stanback. The two-pick package is well supported by Cincinnati's own historical material.
Cincinnati Return
Lapham became the defining asset in the transaction. He played 140 games for Cincinnati from 1974 through 1983, brought exceptional versatility across the offensive line, and started on the Bengals team that reached Super Bowl XVI after the 1981 season. That decade of service is far more important than the ordinary value of a third-round pick would suggest. Stanback did not add comparable direct Bengals playing value, so the case for Cincinnati does not need to rely on his later career elsewhere. Lapham alone made the draft return highly successful.
New Orleans Return
The Saints did not come away empty-handed. Phillips immediately handled a significant rushing workload, gaining 663 yards in 1973 and 556 in 1974 while starting regularly. He gave New Orleans two useful seasons and real offensive production. That return deserves a solid grade and prevents the transaction from being treated as a fleecing. The limitation is duration: Phillips's Saints value was concentrated in two seasons, while Lapham became a decade-long Cincinnati fixture.
Final Verdict
Cincinnati wins clearly, but New Orleans also received worthwhile value. Lapham's 140 Bengals games, versatility, and role on a Super Bowl team give Cincinnati the long-term edge over two productive Phillips seasons. A- for the Bengals rewards an outstanding pick conversion. B for the Saints recognizes that Phillips was a legitimate contributor rather than a failed acquisition, producing a strong trade for Cincinnati without unfairly crushing the other side.