Detroit acquired Dave Washington from San Francisco for a…
Detroit acquired Dave Washington from San Francisco for a 1979 fifth-round selection. Washington appeared in all 16 games for the Lions in 1978 and seven more in 1979, giving Detroit useful veteran defensive service. San Francisco used No. 119 on Jerry Aldridge, whose NFL career produced only one regular-season appearance. The fifth-round asset was legitimate, but the player outcome did not approach Washington’s two-season Detroit contribution, creating a clear Lions win.
Detroit Lions Received
- player Dave Washington (b)
San Francisco 49ers Received
- pick 1979 fifth round pick (#119-Jerry Aldridge)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On April 27, 1978, San Francisco traded veteran linebacker Dave Washington to Detroit for a 1979 fifth-round selection. Draft transaction records identify the pick as No. 119, which the 49ers used on running back Jerry Aldridge. The package is therefore complete and easy to trace: Detroit received the veteran defender, while San Francisco received and exercised a future fifth-round choice.
Detroit Lions Return
Washington gave Detroit immediate defensive service. He appeared in all 16 games in 1978 and started three, then returned for seven more games in 1979. That is not star-level production, but it is meaningful roster value from a fifth-round price: 23 regular-season appearances over two seasons from an experienced defender. The Lions received exactly the kind of short-term veteran utility such a deal is designed to create.
San Francisco 49ers Return
The 49ers used No. 119 on Jerry Aldridge. Aldridge’s professional career was derailed by injury and produced only one NFL regular-season appearance, in 1980. The selection therefore failed to provide a comparable contribution to Washington’s Detroit tenure. San Francisco’s decision to obtain a future pick was reasonable in a rebuilding context, but the draft outcome did not convert that flexibility into meaningful on-field value.
Value in Hindsight
A fifth-round pick has enough value that Detroit needed real service from Washington to justify the trade, and it got that service. The Lions received 23 appearances across two seasons. San Francisco exercised the acquired selection but did not get a durable player from it. Because the trade was minor and Washington was not a long-term star, the grade gap should remain moderate rather than extreme.
Final Verdict
Detroit wins. The Lions earn a B- for purchasing two seasons of useful veteran defense with a fifth-round pick. San Francisco receives a D because the No. 119 selection became a player with almost no NFL regular-season contribution, leaving the 49ers well behind in realized value.