Buffalo received the 207th pick in the 2004 draft and…
Buffalo received the 207th pick in the 2004 draft and selected Dylan McFarland. Buffalo received the 207th pick in the 2004 draft and used it on Dylan McFarland. McFarland appeared in only three games for the Bills, leaving the seventh-round return with very little realized value. The draft choice was a reasonable asset to collect, but the eventual player outcome did not reward Buffalo's side of the deal. In hindsight, that result supports a D+ grade for Buffalo Bills in a deal ultimately judged as Detroit Lions Win.
Buffalo Bills Received
- pick 2004 7th round pick (207th overall, Dylan McFarland )
Detroit Lions Received
- player Olandis Gary
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Detroit acquired Olandis Gary from Buffalo on August 31, 2003, while Buffalo received a 2004 seventh-round pick that became No. 207 Dylan McFarland. The transaction was modest in scale, so the fairest comparison is the football value each side actually received rather than the perceived value of the assets on the trade date. Team transaction histories and the downstream draft record support the core exchange, leaving the outcome to be judged on production and longevity.
Buffalo Bills Return
Buffalo received the 207th pick in the 2004 draft and used it on Dylan McFarland. McFarland appeared in only three games for the Bills, leaving the seventh-round return with very little realized value. The draft choice was a reasonable asset to collect, but the eventual player outcome did not reward Buffalo's side of the deal. That body of work supports a D+ grade for Buffalo Bills. The grade reflects the actual contribution tied to this exchange, not the player's broader reputation or the nominal value of the original asset.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit acquired running back Olandis Gary and received more than four hundred scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in thirteen games. That was a one-season contribution rather than a long-term solution, but it was meaningful production from a low-cost move. Compared with McFarland's brief Buffalo career, Detroit obtained the much better payoff. That body of work supports a B- grade for Detroit Lions. The result is measured against what the other side realized from the same transaction, with the size of the original deal keeping the grades proportional.
Value in Hindsight
This is a hindsight result built on realized value. Neither side should be credited simply for acquiring a recognizable name or a draft choice; the important question is what that asset became for the club that received it. In this case, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions produced different levels of usable football value, and that separation is enough to choose a winner without overstating a relatively small trade.
Final Verdict
Detroit Lions Win. Buffalo Bills receives a D+, while Detroit Lions receives a B-. The winning side generated the stronger direct return from the documented exchange, while the other side still receives credit for whatever useful value it actually obtained. The margin is reflected in the grades rather than treated as a franchise-changing result.