Baltimore traded veteran safety Bruce Laird to San Diego in…
Baltimore traded veteran safety Bruce Laird to San Diego in May 1982 for a 1983 sixth-round pick. Laird gave the Chargers 23 games over two seasons and started six times in the strike-shortened 1982 season. The Colts used No. 161 on center Grant Feasel, who appeared in 17 games for Baltimore and Indianapolis without a start before continuing his career elsewhere. San Diego received the better direct return.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1983 sixth round pick (#161-Grant Feasel)
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- player Bruce Laird
Trade Analysis
Why San Diego Added Laird
The Chargers acquired veteran defensive back Bruce Laird from Baltimore in May 1982 for a future sixth-round pick. Laird had spent a decade with the Colts and brought extensive starting experience. For San Diego, the move was a low-cost attempt to add immediate secondary help.
What the Chargers Received
Laird played nine games in the strike-shortened 1982 season and started six. NFL statistics credit him with 40 combined tackles and five passes defended that year. He returned for 14 more games in 1983, mostly as a reserve. Twenty-three games and some starting work represented a useful short-term return for a sixth-round asset.
How the Colts Used the Pick
Baltimore selected center Grant Feasel at No. 161 in 1983. Feasel eventually built a 117-game NFL career, but most of that value came later with Seattle. He played 11 games for Baltimore as a rookie and six for Indianapolis in 1984, with no starts in either Colts season before moving on.
Why Team-Specific Value Matters
Feasel's later career shows the pick identified a capable professional, but those later starts did not accrue to the Colts. San Diego received immediate defensive service while Baltimore and Indianapolis received only limited reserve appearances from the player chosen with the compensation.
Final Verdict
The Chargers earn a B- and the Colts a C. Neither side created major long-term value, but Laird's 23 games and six starts gave San Diego the better direct return. Feasel's later success elsewhere does not erase the modest Colts payoff.