Detroit acquired linebacker Rob Fredrickson from Oakland on…
Detroit acquired linebacker Rob Fredrickson from Oakland on March 24, 1998 for the 113th pick. Fredrickson started all 16 games for the Lions that season, recorded 2.5 sacks and produced a seven-point Approximate Value season before leaving for Arizona. Oakland later packaged No. 113 with a seventh-round pick to move to No. 109 and draft Gennaro DiNapoli. Detroit received the stronger immediate return from the original exchange.
Detroit Lions Received
- player Rob Fredrickson
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- pick 1998 4th round pick (113th overall; subsequently traded to Washington)
Trade Analysis
Why Detroit Chose a Veteran
The Lions traded a fourth-round choice for Rob Fredrickson, a linebacker who had already started extensively for the Raiders. Detroit was buying certainty rather than waiting on a rookie. Fredrickson entered the lineup immediately and started all 16 games in 1998. For a team seeking dependable defensive snaps, that direct conversion of a mid-round pick into a full-season starter had clear short-term value.
What Fredrickson Produced
Fredrickson recorded 2.5 sacks during his lone Detroit season and posted a seven-point Approximate Value mark. His time with the Lions lasted only one year, but it was not a failed rental: he played every game and held a starting job throughout the season. He then continued his career with Arizona, ultimately finishing with 128 games and 119 starts across nine NFL seasons.
How Oakland Used the Pick
The Raiders did not stay at No. 113. They packaged that selection with a seventh-rounder to Washington to move up four spots to No. 109 and selected Gennaro DiNapoli. DiNapoli became a 39-game NFL player, but he appeared in only 11 games for Oakland and started nine. The Raiders therefore recovered some useful value from Fredrickson, yet their eventual player return did not match Detroit’s immediate 16-start season.
Final Verdict
Detroit Lions Win. Detroit earns a B because a fourth-round pick became a dependable every-game starter for one season. Oakland gets a C+ because the acquired pick helped produce an NFL-caliber lineman, but DiNapoli’s Raiders tenure was brief and required another pick to complete the move-up. Detroit realized the cleaner direct return.