Dallas acquired defensive lineman Artie Smith from New…
Dallas acquired defensive lineman Artie Smith from New England for past considerations in August 1998. Smith immediately gave the Cowboys a full season of depth, appearing in all 16 games and recording 17 tackles. The exact value of New England's past-considerations return is not identified in the surviving transaction summaries, so it should not be inflated. Dallas gets the modest edge for receiving a season-long contributor while the Patriots' realized compensation remains indistinct.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- player Artie Smith
New England Patriots Received
- other (past considerations)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Dallas acquired defensive lineman Artie Smith from New England on August 25, 1998. The recorded compensation going to the Patriots is past considerations. Surviving trade summaries do not identify a specific pick, player or cash amount, so the evaluation should preserve that uncertainty rather than inventing a more precise return.
Dallas Cowboys Return
Smith gave Dallas immediate roster value. He appeared in all 16 regular-season games in 1998 and recorded 17 tackles. He did not become a starter or a major pass-rushing force, but availability across an entire season has real value for a defensive-line rotation. For a transaction involving unspecified past considerations, a full season of active depth is a useful outcome.
New England Patriots Return
New England's side is harder to measure because the consideration is not specified. The record establishes that the Patriots received past considerations, but not enough detail survives to assign a meaningful draft or player outcome. The absence of a precise return should not automatically be treated as zero, yet it also cannot be credited with value that the evidence does not support.
Value in Hindsight
Dallas has the clearer realized asset. Smith played every game that season and contributed on defense. New England may have received some prior or accounting value, but the available record does not demonstrate a comparable football asset. That creates a modest Cowboys edge while keeping the grade conservative.
Final Verdict
Dallas wins narrowly. The Cowboys earn a C+ for obtaining a full season of useful depth from Smith. New England earns a C because the past-considerations return is legitimate but too indistinct to show equivalent realized value.