Kansas City sent linebacker Jimbo Elrod to the St. Louis…
Kansas City sent linebacker Jimbo Elrod to the St. Louis Cardinals in April 1979 for an eighth-round selection, No. 218, used on Robert Brewer. Elrod did not establish a meaningful Cardinals regular-season role before later appearing in four games for Houston that season, while Brewer did not develop into an NFL regular-season contributor for Kansas City. The exchange produced little durable value on either side, making an Even Trade with C- grades more accurate than a Chiefs win.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Jimbo Elrod
Kansas City Chiefs Received
- pick 1979 eighth round pick (#218-Robert Brewer)
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
St. Louis acquired Jimbo Elrod as a veteran linebacker who wanted a larger opportunity, while Kansas City accepted an eighth-round selection rather than keeping him. Contemporary reporting described the exchange as Elrod for the Cardinals' eighth-round pick. For a deal this small, the evaluation should focus on whether either side converted the modest asset into actual regular-season service.
What Kansas City Received
The Chiefs used No. 218 on Robert Brewer. The pick carried the usual low-cost developmental upside of an eighth-round selection, but Brewer did not become a meaningful NFL regular-season contributor for Kansas City. As a result, the Chiefs received the chance to develop a late pick without obtaining lasting on-field production from that chance.
What St. Louis Received
Elrod also failed to establish a durable Cardinals return. His 1979 statistical record shows four regular-season appearances for Houston later in the year rather than a meaningful body of work for St. Louis. The Cardinals therefore did not turn the veteran acquisition into sustained playing value. The original idea was reasonable, but the realized return was very small.
How the Value Developed
Neither side converted the exchange into a player who mattered for long. Kansas City's late pick did not generate meaningful Chiefs service, and St. Louis did not receive a lasting Cardinals contributor from Elrod. A one-grade directional edge would overstate tiny differences in a transaction where both returns effectively disappeared.
Final Verdict
The trade is Even at C- for both clubs. Kansas City obtained draft flexibility but no meaningful player result from Brewer, while St. Louis obtained a veteran who did not produce durable Cardinals value. The low grades reflect the lack of realized return; the Even verdict reflects the lack of meaningful separation.