Los Angeles acquired tight end Bill Truax from Cleveland for…
Los Angeles acquired tight end Bill Truax from Cleveland for the 1965 second-round selection that became No. 22 Gerry Bussell. Truax developed into a long-term Rams starter, playing 94 games with 68 starts across seven seasons and catching 16 touchdown passes from 1965 through 1970. Bussell never played for Cleveland, spending his only pro season with Denver. The sustained Rams production makes this a decisive Los Angeles win.
Cleveland Browns Received
- pick 1965 second round pick (#22-Gerry Bussell)
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Bill Truax / Billy Truax
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Cleveland sent tight end Bill Truax to Los Angeles on August 31, 1964, for a 1965 second-round draft choice. The Browns' official draft history says the selection acquired from Los Angeles was used on Gerry Bussell at No. 22, and the transaction trail supports the same exchange and date. Unlike several late-round deals in this era, this one involved a premium pick and produced a major difference in realized value.
What Los Angeles Rams Got
Truax became a long-term part of the Rams offense. Across seven seasons with Los Angeles he played 94 regular-season games and started 68. From 1965 through 1970 he caught 180 passes for 2,177 yards and 16 touchdowns, with his role expanding into a full-time starting job during the late 1960s. He started all 14 games in 1967, 1969 and 1970 and 13 in 1968. That is substantial multi-year production from a player acquired before his career had fully developed.
What Cleveland Browns Got
Cleveland used the acquired second-round pick on Gerry Bussell, a defensive back from Georgia Tech. Bussell was also drafted by Denver in the AFL and did not play for the Browns. His only major-league season came with Denver in 1965, when he appeared in six games without a start. Cleveland therefore spent the premium selection on a player from whom it received no regular-season production, while the player it surrendered became a durable starter elsewhere.
Final Verdict
Los Angeles Rams Win should replace the old Cleveland verdict. Truax delivered seven Rams seasons, 94 games, 68 starts and sustained receiving production, while Bussell never appeared for the Browns. Los Angeles earns an A- because it acquired a long-term starter for a second-round choice that failed to help Cleveland. The Browns receive a D: the opportunity cost was meaningful, and the acquired pick produced no Browns field value. This is one of the clearest reversals in the wave because the long-term outcomes strongly favor Los Angeles.