Miami traded Gene Williams to Cleveland for the 1994…
Miami traded Gene Williams to Cleveland for the 1994 fourth-round pick used on Ronnie Woolfork. Williams immediately became a starting offensive lineman for the Browns, making 23 starts across his two Cleveland seasons. Woolfork, selected 112th overall, never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. Cleveland clearly converted a modest draft cost into substantially more realized football value.
Cleveland Browns Received
- player Gene Williams III
Miami Dolphins Received
- pick 1994 fourth round pick (#112-Ronnie Woolfork)
Trade Analysis
The Documented Exchange
Miami sent offensive lineman Gene Williams to Cleveland in July 1993 for the Browns’ 1994 fourth-round selection. Draft transaction records identify that choice as No. 112, which the Dolphins used on linebacker Ronnie Woolfork. Cleveland’s own historical material also identifies the fourth-round pick as the compensation for Williams. The transaction is therefore straightforward to evaluate through the careers produced by each side.
What Cleveland Received
Williams was not merely roster depth after arriving in Cleveland. He played 16 games and started 14 in 1993, then appeared in 15 games with nine starts in 1994. That gave the Browns 31 regular-season appearances and 23 starts over two seasons. A Browns media guide credited him with starting 23 of 29 games during those two years and noted his role on a 1994 offensive line that allowed a league-low 14 sacks. For a fourth-round price, Cleveland obtained legitimate starting service.
What Miami Received
The Dolphins turned Williams into the 112th selection of the 1994 draft and chose Ronnie Woolfork. That choice did not produce comparable value. Woolfork never appeared in an NFL regular-season game, so Miami surrendered a lineman who immediately became a Cleveland starter for a selection that generated no regular-season contribution. The pick’s reasonable draft value keeps the process understandable, but the realized result was poor.
Final Verdict
Cleveland wins decisively. The Browns paid a mid-round selection and received two useful seasons from a starting offensive lineman. Miami obtained the expected draft asset, but its chosen player never reached an NFL regular-season field. Cleveland earns an A- because 23 starts from this acquisition represents excellent value at the price. Miami receives a D because the fourth-round return failed to provide any NFL game production.