St. Louis Cardinals received Ken Willard in the 1974-05-06…
St. Louis Cardinals received Ken Willard in the 1974-05-06 exchange with San Francisco 49ers. Ken Willard gave St. Louis a veteran back, but the move came late in his career and did not produce enough sustained value to outweigh the three selections surrendered. The direct package is the basis for the hindsight grade, with later movement of an acquired selection treated separately. That supports San Francisco 49ers Win.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Ken Willard
San Francisco 49ers Received
- pick 1975 3rd round pick (74th overall, Wayne Baker )
- pick 1975 9th round pick (230th overall, Ceasar Douglas)
- pick 1976 6th round pick (177th overall, Scott Bull)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1974-05-06, St. Louis Cardinals received Ken Willard, while San Francisco 49ers received 1975 3rd round pick (74th overall, Wayne Baker); 1975 9th round pick (230th overall, Ceasar Douglas); 1976 6th round pick (177th overall, Scott Bull). The direct compensation is the foundation for the hindsight judgment. Later trades involving an acquired pick can explain how value continued to move through the league, but they do not change which assets these two clubs exchanged on this transaction.
St. Louis Cardinals Return
Ken Willard gave St. Louis a veteran back, but the move came late in his career and did not produce enough sustained value to outweigh the three selections surrendered. For St. Louis Cardinals, the relevant question is how much practical football value the acquired side produced for that franchise. Playing time, starts, sustained roster usefulness and the retained value of draft choices matter more than simply counting pieces. The result is measured against what St. Louis Cardinals actually surrendered in this deal.
San Francisco 49ers Return
San Francisco turned an aging veteran into three future selections spread across two drafts, creating multiple chances to replenish the roster after Willard's prime. For San Francisco 49ers, the same standard applies: direct realized contribution matters most, while a later trade is treated as a separate transaction. That keeps the comparison focused on the original exchange and avoids assigning another club's later draft decision to San Francisco 49ers.
Value in Hindsight
The Cardinals obtained the known veteran, while San Francisco recovered three discrete draft assets: Wayne Baker, Ceasar Douglas and Scott Bull. Even without treating every selection as a major success, the quantity and retained future value make the 49ers' side stronger in hindsight. The package should therefore be judged on durable contribution and the value each club controlled immediately after the exchange. That approach keeps the conclusion proportional to a minor-tier deal while still recognizing a meaningful difference when one side produced clearly stronger results.
Final Verdict
St. Louis Cardinals receives a C and San Francisco 49ers receives a B. The verdict is San Francisco 49ers Win. The grade spread reflects the realized football difference described above, while the even grades used in balanced cases recognize that neither direct return created enough separation to force a winner.