Indianapolis sent defensive back Leonard Coleman to San Diego…
Indianapolis sent defensive back Leonard Coleman to San Diego on July 8, 1988 for a 1990 twelfth-round pick. That selection became No. 311, Gene Benhart, who did not establish an NFL career. Coleman gave the Chargers immediate veteran depth and appeared during the 1988 season. The return was modest on both sides, but San Diego received the more useful direct value.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1990 twelfth round pick (#311-Gene Benhart)
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- player Leonard Coleman
Trade Analysis
Why San Diego Took the Chance
The Chargers acquired Leonard Coleman on July 8, 1988 for an undisclosed 1990 draft choice that later proved to be a twelfth-rounder. Contemporary reporting described Coleman as a former first-round defensive back who had started 16 games for Indianapolis in 1986 before injuries and diminished playing time changed his standing. For San Diego, the price was about as low as a future pick could be.
What Indianapolis Received
The pick eventually became No. 311 in the 1990 draft, where Indianapolis selected Gene Benhart. The Colts therefore did receive a tangible asset rather than simply releasing Coleman, but a twelfth-round choice carried limited expected value and Benhart did not become a meaningful NFL contributor. That caps the benefit Indianapolis extracted from moving a player it no longer viewed as central.
How the Value Developed
Coleman did not revive his career into anything resembling his early draft status, but he provided the Chargers with immediate veteran depth in 1988. The trade was never going to reshape either franchise; the relevant comparison is one usable veteran against one very late pick that failed to become an NFL piece. On that scale, San Diego came out ahead without creating a large gap.
Final Verdict
The Chargers earn a C+ because they acquired a playable veteran for a minimal future cost. Indianapolis gets a C for recovering a draft choice from a player whose role had faded, but the selection produced little downstream value. San Diego's gain was modest, yet it was more concrete than the Colts' return, making this a small Chargers win.