Minnesota acquired the 1989 No. 335 pick from the Raiders and…
Minnesota acquired the 1989 No. 335 pick from the Raiders and selected Everett Ross, sending a future 1990 eleventh-rounder in return. That future choice became No. 298, which the Raiders later included in a draft-day trade with Chicago and which the Bears used on Roman Matusz. Ross did not play an NFL regular-season game, and the Raiders' asset produced only minor trade currency, making the exchange effectively even.
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- pick 1990 eleventh round pick (#298-Roman Matusz)
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 1989 twelfth round pick (#335-Everett Ross)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Minnesota moved into the final round of the 1989 draft by acquiring pick No. 335 from the Raiders, then selected Everett Ross. In return, the Raiders received Minnesota's 1990 eleventh-round pick, which became No. 298. The structure favored the Raiders on nominal draft value because they waited a year and moved up a round, while Minnesota paid that premium for an immediate prospect.
Minnesota Vikings Return
Ross was the direct football outcome for Minnesota. The Vikings used the acquired twelfth-round choice on him, but he never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. That leaves Minnesota without on-field production from the transaction. The cost was tiny in modern terms, yet a late-round trade still needs a roster player to become a positive result.
Las Vegas/Oakland Raiders Return
The Raiders did not ultimately use No. 298 themselves. In the 1990 draft, they traded that selection to Chicago as part of a swap involving seventh-round choices. Chicago used No. 298 on Roman Matusz, who also failed to produce an NFL regular-season career. Oakland therefore received some value by using the future selection as trade currency, but the asset never became a meaningful player outcome for the Raiders.
Value in Hindsight
The Raiders can claim a slight process advantage: they exchanged a twelfth-rounder for a future eleventh and later had flexibility to move it. Hindsight, however, should not turn minor draft mechanics into a major football result. Minnesota's selected player did not make an impact, and Oakland's future pick became only a small component of another late-round exchange.
Final Verdict
Even Trade, C/C. Neither side generated meaningful player value from the original transaction. The Raiders' future-pick flexibility is real but too modest to justify a full-grade separation after the downstream results are considered.