Green Bay acquired fullback Ben Wilson from Los Angeles for a…
Green Bay acquired fullback Ben Wilson from Los Angeles for a 1968 second-round pick after Jim Taylor’s departure. Wilson immediately rushed for 453 yards and two touchdowns in 1967, added 88 receiving yards and helped the Packers win another championship, including 65 rushing yards in Super Bowl II. The Rams received a valuable No. 53 pick, but Green Bay’s immediate title-season payoff gives the Packers the edge.
Green Bay Packers Received
- player Ben Wilson
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 1968 second round pick (#53; later used by Atlanta on John Wright)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Green Bay acquired fullback Ben Wilson from Los Angeles in July 1967 for a second-round choice in the 1968 draft. The selection became No. 53 overall. The draft trail shows the pick later moving onward before Atlanta ultimately used No. 53 on receiver John Wright, so the Rams’ return is best valued as a premium second-round asset rather than as Wright’s career alone.
What Green Bay Got
Wilson filled an immediate need after Jim Taylor left for New Orleans. In the 1967 regular season he played all 14 games, started five, rushed 103 times for 453 yards and two touchdowns, and caught 14 passes for 88 yards. He finished as Green Bay’s second-leading rusher. His value extended into the championship run, where he supplied 65 rushing yards in Super Bowl II as the Packers defeated Oakland.
What Los Angeles Got
A second-round pick was substantial compensation for a veteran back who had spent 1966 away from the Rams’ active regular-season roster. The choice carried real trade value and later changed hands before the draft. Because the pick was not ultimately used by Los Angeles on Wright, the Rams should receive credit for obtaining strong draft capital without assigning them Atlanta’s later player outcome.
Final Verdict
The Rams negotiated a sensible return and earn a B for securing a high second-round asset. Green Bay still wins because Wilson immediately solved a roster need, produced more than 500 yards from scrimmage during the regular season and contributed in a Super Bowl victory. That championship-season impact is concrete and timely. An A- for the Packers reflects a highly successful win-now acquisition without pretending the Rams received nothing of value.