Denver traded Jimmie Jones to Detroit for Al Barnes on August…

The Exchange

Denver and Detroit exchanged Al Barnes and Jimmie Jones on August 20, 1974. Barnes went to the Broncos, while Jones went to the Lions. The deal can be judged cleanly because the two players' post-trade paths diverged almost immediately once the regular season arrived.

Denver Broncos Return

Denver traded Jimmie Jones to Detroit for Al Barnes on August 20, 1974. Barnes was released by the Broncos before producing regular-season value, while Jones played all 14 games for the Lions and returned 38 kickoffs for 927 yards in addition to offensive work. That sharp post-trade difference makes Detroit the clear winner.

Detroit Lions Return

Detroit received the productive side of the Al Barnes-Jimmie Jones swap. Jones immediately gave the Lions a full season of service, including 927 kickoff-return yards and contributions as a runner and receiver. Barnes did not survive Denver's final roster process long enough to create regular-season value, producing a substantial hindsight advantage for Detroit.

Value in Hindsight

This is a straightforward value split. Denver's incoming player did not make it into the regular season, while Detroit's incoming player handled offensive touches and a major return-game workload across the full schedule. The stakes were modest, but the difference in realized service is large enough to make Detroit the decisive winner.

Final Verdict

The final call is Detroit Lions Win. Denver Broncos receives a D grade and Detroit Lions receives a B grade. The separation reflects documented post-transaction value rather than the reputation of either player before the move, and the grades stay proportional to the limited scale of the exchange. That standard keeps a minor historical transaction from being graded like a franchise-changing blockbuster.