San Diego acquired Mark Malone while searching for a veteran…
San Diego acquired Mark Malone while searching for a veteran successor to Dan Fouts. Malone started eight games in 1988 and threw for 1,580 yards, six touchdowns and 13 interceptions before the Chargers moved on the following year. The price was only an eighth-rounder and an untriggered condition, so the downside was limited, but the acquisition did not solve the quarterback problem.
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- player Mark Malone
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- pick 1988 eighth round pick (#211-Mike Hinnant)
- pick 1989 conditional pick (not exercised)
Trade Analysis
San Diego entered the 1988 offseason needing a quarterback after Dan Fouts retired, and Mark Malone offered something the roster lacked: extensive NFL starting experience. Pittsburgh had already acquired Todd Blackledge and was prepared to move on. The Chargers sent an eighth-round pick and possible future compensation based on Malone's playing time.
Malone won the initial competition but did not stabilize the position. He started eight games for San Diego in 1988, throwing for 1,580 yards with six touchdowns and 13 interceptions. By the following preseason the Chargers were again reshaping the quarterback room, and Malone was waived after the team acquired Jim McMahon. For such a low acquisition cost, that short run was not catastrophic, but it failed to achieve the primary goal.
Pittsburgh used the 211th selection on tight end Mike Hinnant. Hinnant played all 16 games as a rookie and appeared in 21 games over two Steelers seasons, but he caught only one pass for the club. The conditional future compensation did not add another meaningful asset. Pittsburgh therefore did not turn Malone into a major contributor either.
The Steelers get the slight win because they received a usable draft pick for a quarterback they no longer wanted, and the player San Diego acquired did not become a successful bridge. Still, the tiny cost matters. An eighth-rounder was a reasonable price for a veteran quarterback with starting experience, and Hinnant's own Pittsburgh impact was limited. That keeps the grade gap narrow: Pittsburgh came out ahead in the exchange, but neither side generated substantial long-term value.