Detroit acquired the rights to first-round defensive tackle…
Detroit acquired the rights to first-round defensive tackle Kelvin Pritchett from Dallas, while the Cowboys received Nos. 37, 64 and 108. Dallas found linebacker Dixon Edwards at No. 37, a contributor on three Super Bowl champions. Detroit also did well: Pritchett became a durable interior defender with a long Lions tenure, making this one of the rare move-down deals that worked for both clubs.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- pick 1991 second round pick (#37-Dixon Edwards)
- pick 1991 third round pick (#64-James Richards (b))
- pick 1991 fourth round pick (#108-Tony Hill (LaVosia))
Detroit Lions Received
- other rights to Kelvin Pritchett
Trade Analysis
This trade produced real value on both sides, which is why an even verdict fits better than forcing a winner. Detroit wanted Kelvin Pritchett badly enough to acquire his rights after Dallas had obtained the 20th selection from Washington. Pritchett rewarded that decision with longevity. He became a durable defensive tackle, played 208 career games and spent most of his prime with the Lions, supplying steady interior work for years. Detroit got the kind of long-term starter teams expect from a first-round investment.
Dallas chose volume and found its best return immediately at No. 37. Linebacker Dixon Edwards played 74 games for the Cowboys, started 47 and was part of all three Super Bowl championship teams of the 1990s. He was never the singular star of those defenses, but his speed and versatility fit the roster the Cowboys were constructing. The later selections, James Richards and Tony Hill, added little lasting value, so Dallas's side is carried primarily by Edwards.
The comparison comes down to different kinds of success. Detroit received the more durable individual player and kept Pritchett in a major role for much of his career. Dallas received a shorter-tenured but highly useful contributor whose best years coincided with a championship run, plus two additional opportunities that did not develop. Neither side paid a price that overwhelms what it received. With both Pritchett and Edwards becoming meaningful starters and neither secondary Cowboys pick changing the balance, matching B+ grades capture a transaction in which each club accomplished its objective.