Miami traded wide receiver Tony Martin to the Chargers in…
Miami traded wide receiver Tony Martin to the Chargers in March 1994 for a fourth-round selection. Martin became a major Chargers contributor and eventually finished his NFL career with 593 receptions and 9,065 receiving yards. Miami retained useful downstream value from the acquired draft asset, but Los Angeles received the strongest direct player contribution from the transaction.
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- player Tony Martin
Miami Dolphins Received
- pick 1994 4th round pick (115th overall subsequently traded, Terry Irving )
Trade Analysis
Why the Deal Happened
Miami sent wide receiver Tony Martin to the Chargers for a 1994 fourth-round pick. Los Angeles was acquiring a proven vertical target, while the Dolphins were turning a veteran into draft capital. Miami did not ultimately make the No. 115 selection; it included that pick in the package used to move up for center Tim Ruddy.
What Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins Received
Martin became a major contributor for the Chargers and finished his NFL career with 593 receptions and 9,065 receiving yards. His Los Angeles and San Diego tenure included prominent seasons as a downfield receiver. Miami's return also mattered because No. 115 helped complete the trade for Ruddy, who became a 140-start center. The Dolphins therefore converted a fourth-round asset into part of a very successful offensive-line investment.
How the Value Developed
Both sides can credibly like the result. Miami's downstream use of the pick helped secure a decade-long starter, so treating the fourth-rounder as a wasted asset would be wrong. The Chargers still receive the higher grade because Martin himself delivered high-value receiving production directly to the team that acquired him, including during the franchise's mid-1990s peak. The difference is narrow rather than overwhelming.
Final Verdict
Los Angeles Chargers Win. Los Angeles Chargers receives a A- and Miami Dolphins receives a B+. The result weighs only value tied to the assets each club actually controlled, including a later transaction when the acquired pick itself was moved. That keeps the comparison centered on team-specific football contribution rather than assigning another franchise's eventual selection to the wrong side.
Tony Martin became a major Chargers receiver, while Miami's acquired fourth-round asset helped create a downstream path to a long-term starter, allowing both teams to realize substantial value even though Los Angeles received the stronger direct player.