Cincinnati acquired quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick from St.…
Cincinnati acquired quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick from St. Louis on September 1, 2007 for a conditional future draft choice that became the 2008 seventh-round pick at No. 217 overall. Fitzpatrick later started 12 games for Cincinnati in 2008.
Cincinnati Bengals Received
- player Ryan Fitzpatrick
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 2008 seventh-round pick, No. 217 overall (later traded to Green Bay; Brett Swain selected)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Cincinnati's official historical trade ledger identifies the September 1, 2007 acquisition of Ryan Fitzpatrick from St. Louis for a future draft choice and says the choice was later determined to be No. 217 overall in the 2008 draft. Contemporary NFL reporting described the compensation as conditional.
Cincinnati Return
Fitzpatrick gave the Bengals useful quarterback depth and then substantial emergency starting value. NFL statistics show 13 appearances and 12 starts in 2008, with 1,905 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns and 304 rushing yards. That is meaningful production from a player acquired for a seventh-round asset.
St. Louis Return
The Rams did not make a selection at No. 217. Their official compensation became part of a 2008 draft-day trade with Green Bay: St. Louis sent No. 137 and No. 217 to the Packers for No. 128, which the Rams used on wide receiver Keenan Burton. Green Bay used No. 217 on Brett Swain.
Hindsight Comparison
The Rams extracted some trade-up value from the seventh-round pick, but Cincinnati received a quarterback who started most of the 2008 season and provided far more direct NFL value than the marginal draft capital surrendered.
Final Verdict
Cincinnati Bengals Win, B to C+. The Bengals converted a seventh-round pick into a season of meaningful quarterback starts, while the Rams used the pick only as secondary trade-up currency.