Detroit received Nos. 187 and 231 and selected Victor Simmons…
Detroit received Nos. 187 and 231 and selected Victor Simmons and Dan Wagoner. Simmons did not become a meaningful Lions contributor, but Wagoner supplied multiple seasons of NFL service and spent part of that career in Detroit. The package was modest, yet the added usable tenure gives the Lions a small realized-value edge over the Rams' single selection.
Detroit Lions Received
- pick 1982 seventh round pick (#187-Victor Simmons)
- pick 1982 ninth round pick (#231-Dan Wagoner)
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 1982 seventh round pick (#181-Joe Shearin)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1982-04-28, Detroit Lions received 1982 seventh round pick (#187-Victor Simmons); 1982 ninth round pick (#231-Dan Wagoner), while Los Angeles Rams received 1982 seventh round pick (#181-Joe Shearin). This hindsight grade considers only the consideration each club controlled directly after the transaction. When an acquired selection or player later moved again, that later move is treated as provenance rather than as extra compensation. The central question is what practical football value each side ultimately created from the assets in this exchange.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit received Nos. 187 and 231 and selected Victor Simmons and Dan Wagoner. Simmons did not become a meaningful Lions contributor, but Wagoner supplied multiple seasons of NFL service and spent part of that career in Detroit. The package was modest, yet the added usable tenure gives the Lions a small realized-value edge over the Rams' single selection. The return is judged by usable games, starts, role value, or retained draft value that came directly from this exchange.
Los Angeles Rams Return
Los Angeles received No. 181 and selected Joe Shearin. Shearin's Rams return was limited, so the club did not create a durable advantage from moving one slot package for Detroit's two later picks. Because Dan Wagoner provided the most useful sustained service among the direct returns, the Rams land slightly below neutral rather than far behind. The same standard applies here, keeping later unrelated transactions separate from the original bargain.
Value in Hindsight
Dan Wagoner provided the best sustained service among the three players selected with these picks, while Joe Shearin's Rams impact was limited and Victor Simmons added little for Detroit. The Lions therefore win narrowly on depth of realized contribution, not on star-level value. Taken together, those outcomes support Detroit Lions Win and the stated grade separation. The scale remains proportional to the size of the deal and the certainty of the evidence rather than overstating a minor transaction.
Final Verdict
Detroit Lions receives a B- and Los Angeles Rams receives a C+. The verdict is Detroit Lions Win. This conclusion reflects the direct assets, the football value each club actually realized, and the duration of that value. It does not award extra credit for later unrelated transactions involving an acquired pick or player.