Oakland acquired Lyle Alzado and Greg Pruitt from Cleveland…
Oakland acquired Lyle Alzado and Greg Pruitt from Cleveland in two same-day April 1982 trades, surrendering only an eighth-round pick in 1982 and an eleventh-round pick in 1983. Alzado became a four-year Raiders starter and key defender on the 1983 championship team, while Pruitt supplied veteran depth. The combined return makes Oakland the clear winner.
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- player Lyle Alzado
- player Greg Pruitt
Cleveland Browns Received
- pick 1982 eighth round pick (#204-Van Heflin)
- pick 1983 eleventh round pick (#305-Howard McAdoo)
Trade Analysis
The Documented Exchange
Cleveland and Oakland completed two separate transactions on April 28, 1982. The Raiders’ own historical trade list records Greg Pruitt for a 1983 eleventh-round choice and Lyle Alzado for a 1982 eighth-round choice. Draft transaction records identify those selections as No. 305 Howard McAdoo and No. 204 Van Heflin. Treating the same-day moves together preserves the existing record while making clear that two distinct player-for-pick deals produced the combined asset list.
What Oakland Received
Alzado was the decisive piece. NFL statistics show him starting nine games for the Raiders in the strike-shortened 1982 season, then 15 in 1983, 16 in 1984 and 11 in 1985. He recorded seven sacks in both 1982 and 1983 and remained a prominent part of the defense that won the 1983 championship. Pruitt was no longer Cleveland’s featured back, but he gave Oakland three seasons of veteran depth and contributed 154 rushing yards with two touchdowns in 1983.
What Cleveland Received
The Browns received two late-round selections. The 1982 eighth-rounder became Van Heflin, while the 1983 eleventh-rounder became Howard McAdoo. Those picks gave Cleveland inexpensive roster opportunities, and moving aging veterans was defensible as a reset. The problem is the gap between ordinary late-round draft value and the immediate, multi-season starting value Oakland extracted from Alzado, with Pruitt adding useful depth at minimal additional cost.
Final Verdict
Oakland wins comfortably. The Raiders paid an eighth and an eleventh for two established veterans, then received four seasons of starts from Alzado plus three seasons of Pruitt. Cleveland’s strategy was understandable, but the realized return did not approach Oakland’s contribution on the field. The Raiders earn an A for obtaining a championship-caliber starter and useful veteran depth at a bargain price; Cleveland receives a C- because both outgoing players produced more meaningful value than the late picks returned.