Cincinnati sent veteran lineman Mike Obrovac to Green Bay on…
Cincinnati sent veteran lineman Mike Obrovac to Green Bay on September 4, 1985, for a future draft choice that became No. 294 in the 1986 draft. The Bengals used the eleventh-round selection on linebacker Tom Flaherty. Obrovac never played a regular-season game for Green Bay, while Flaherty appeared in only three NFL games, leaving little lasting separation.
Cincinnati Bengals Received
- pick 1986 eleventh round pick (#294-Tom Flaherty)
Green Bay Packers Received
- player Mike Obrovac
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
On September 4, 1985, Cincinnati traded offensive lineman Mike Obrovac to Green Bay for an undisclosed future draft choice. Bengals historical records later identify that compensation as the No. 294 overall pick in the 1986 draft, an eleventh-round selection. Cincinnati used it on Northwestern linebacker Tom Flaherty. The package and date are supported by the Bengals' own transaction history and draft records.
What Cincinnati Received
The Bengals converted the future choice into Flaherty. As a late-round pick, he carried little acquisition cost, but he did not turn into a meaningful long-term contributor. Pro Football Reference credits him with three NFL games and no starts. Cincinnati therefore received a real draft asset and a player who reached the league, but the football payoff was modest.
What Green Bay Received
Green Bay received Obrovac, who had already played 25 NFL games for Cincinnati earlier in his career. His Packers tenure did not create comparable on-field value. Pro Football Archives records the September 4 trade, an exemption that day, and his release on September 16. He later returned to Green Bay in 1986 but retired before adding regular-season production for the club.
How the Value Aged
This is a case where the transaction itself is clear but neither return became consequential. Cincinnati at least retained the optionality of a future draft selection and turned it into an NFL player. Green Bay acquired an experienced lineman but did not receive regular-season production from him after the deal. The difference is too small to justify a meaningful grade gap.
Final Verdict
The Even Trade verdict remains appropriate with C grades for both teams. Cincinnati's pick had slightly more tangible downstream value, but three games from Flaherty are not enough to turn a low-impact exchange into a clear win.