Buffalo and Indianapolis announced a deadline deal on October…
Buffalo and Indianapolis announced a deadline deal on October 14, 2008 that would have sent defensive tackle John McCargo to the Colts for a conditional draft pick. The exchange never became effective: McCargo failed Indianapolis' physical, the trade was voided, and his rights returned to Buffalo. No player or draft choice ultimately changed clubs.
Buffalo Bills Received
- other No asset transferred — trade voided after John McCargo failed Indianapolis' physical
Indianapolis Colts Received
- other No asset transferred — John McCargo 's rights returned to Buffalo after failed physical
Trade Analysis
The Announced Deal
Buffalo and Indianapolis reached an agreement on October 14, 2008 that would have moved defensive tackle John McCargo to the Colts for a conditional draft choice. Contemporary team accounts treated it as a deadline acquisition while McCargo traveled to Indianapolis for the required physical. That physical was a condition of the transaction, so the announced terms were not the final completed exchange.
Why It Was Voided
McCargo failed the Colts' physical the following day. Buffalo's own report states that the failed examination voided the deal and sent his rights back to the Bills. Indianapolis later summarized the same episode in its trade history, noting that the attempted acquisition was voided because of the failed physical. Buffalo then had McCargo back at practice.
What Each Team Actually Kept
The practical result was no transfer. Buffalo retained McCargo and did not receive the conditional draft choice. Indianapolis retained its draft capital and did not acquire McCargo. That distinction matters because grading the announced package as though it closed would invent value that neither franchise actually realized. McCargo remained with Buffalo through the rest of 2008, and the Colts moved forward without him.
Final Verdict
This should be recorded as a voided transaction rather than a completed player-for-pick trade. An Even Trade label with C grades is neutral bookkeeping, not a claim that the announced assets produced equal football value. The key historical fact is that the physical prevented the exchange from becoming effective, leaving both sides with what they had before the agreement.