Minnesota sent veteran lineman Everett Lindsay to Baltimore…
Minnesota sent veteran lineman Everett Lindsay to Baltimore during the 1999 draft and received the 185th selection, a sixth-round pick used on defensive lineman Talance Sawyer. Lindsay started all 16 games for the Ravens in 1999, while Sawyer developed into a rotational Vikings defender and recorded 11 career sacks. Both clubs obtained real, useful value, making an even B- result more fitting.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 1999 6th round pick (185th overall, Talance Sawyer )
Baltimore Ravens Received
- player Everett Lindsay
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
During the 1999 draft, Minnesota moved Everett Lindsay to Baltimore for the sixth-round selection at No. 185. The Vikings used that pick on Talance Sawyer. Team transaction records and draft histories agree on the core one-pick package, making the comparison straightforward: Baltimore received an experienced offensive lineman, while Minnesota received a developmental defensive lineman.
Minnesota Vikings Return
Sawyer gave the Vikings more than a typical fringe sixth-round result. He became a rotational defensive lineman, appeared in 39 NFL games, and finished his career with 11 sacks. He was not a long-term full-time starter, but Minnesota turned a late selection into a defender who contributed across multiple seasons and supplied useful pass-rush production.
Baltimore Ravens Return
Lindsay delivered immediate certainty. He started all 16 regular-season games for Baltimore in 1999, giving the Ravens a full season of veteran line play at the cost of a sixth-round choice. His Baltimore tenure was short, but a late pick for an every-game starter in the acquisition season is a strong practical return and should not be graded as a loss.
Value in Hindsight
The trade produced two different kinds of success. Baltimore received concentrated, immediate starting value from Lindsay. Minnesota received a younger player who contributed over a longer span and produced sacks as a rotational defender. Neither return reached star level, but both were better than the typical low-probability outcome attached to a sixth-round transaction.
Final Verdict
An even B- grade for both teams best reflects the actual results. Minnesota found a useful rotational defender in Sawyer, while Baltimore bought a full season of starting offensive line play from Lindsay. The earlier Minnesota-win framing understated the Ravens' immediate benefit, and the outcomes are too balanced to justify a clear winner.