Minnesota traded veteran Bob Stein to New Orleans on April 7,…
Minnesota traded veteran Bob Stein to New Orleans on April 7, 1976 for a 1977 draft choice. Transaction histories establish the player and future pick but do not identify the round or eventual selection. Stein was nearing the end of a career that included Kansas City and Los Angeles before Minnesota, so the deal reads as a modest veteran-for-future-value exchange.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 1977 draft choice (round and exact selection not identified)
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Bob Stein
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On April 7, 1976, Minnesota sent Bob Stein to New Orleans for a 1977 draft choice. The transaction itself is clear in historical movement records, but the surviving entry does not identify the pick's round or the player eventually selected. That makes this a straightforward supportable trade whose precise downstream draft outcome should remain unstated.
Minnesota Vikings Return
Minnesota traded veteran Bob Stein to New Orleans on April 7, 1976 for a 1977 draft choice. Transaction histories establish the player and future pick but do not identify the round or eventual selection. Stein was nearing the end of a career that included Kansas City and Los Angeles before Minnesota, so the deal reads as a modest veteran-for-future-value exchange.
New Orleans Saints Return
New Orleans acquired Bob Stein from Minnesota for a 1977 draft choice whose round and later selection are not identified in the durable transaction history. Stein gave the Saints an experienced defensive option after prior stops with Kansas City, Los Angeles and Minnesota. With the pick's eventual value unresolved and Stein near the end of his career, the return remains modest on both sides.
Value in Hindsight
This is the kind of minor transaction where hindsight should stay proportional to the evidence. Minnesota gained future flexibility, while New Orleans acquired a veteran who could compete immediately. Because the eventual 1977 selection is not identified, assigning hidden value to Minnesota's side would be speculation, just as overstating Stein's Saints impact would be.
Final Verdict
The result is an Even Trade with C grades for both clubs. Minnesota received legitimate future compensation for a veteran, and New Orleans paid a future choice for immediate experience. Neither side has a sufficiently strong, supportable realized outcome to create a meaningful edge, so the fairest verdict is a modest draw rather than a manufactured winner.