Minnesota acquired tight end Bob Brown and cornerback Nate…
Minnesota acquired tight end Bob Brown and cornerback Nate Wright from St. Louis for Mike McGill, Dale Hackbart and a future fourth-round choice. Wright became the decisive asset: he developed into a durable starter for Minnesota’s championship-era defenses, while Brown supplied short-term depth. The Cardinals received only modest playing value from McGill and Hackbart, leaving Minnesota with the stronger realized return.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Mike McGill
- player Dale Hackbart
- pick future fourth-round draft choice (downstream selection unresolved)
Minnesota Vikings Received
- player Bob Brown (Earl)
- player Nate Wright
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Actually Did
Minnesota traded Mike McGill, Dale Hackbart and a future fourth-round draft choice to St. Louis for Bob Brown and Nate Wright in September 1971. Contemporary and retrospective accounts agree on the player package and on the presence of a future pick. The downstream identity of that choice is less certain: later draft-lineage tables attach the same No. 89 selection to multiple transactions, so the safer historical description is simply a future fourth-round choice.
Why Nate Wright Decided the Deal
Wright became the valuable long-term piece. He settled into Minnesota’s secondary and remained with the Vikings through the heart of their 1970s contender run. His time in Minnesota included three NFC championship seasons, giving the Vikings years of starting-caliber defensive value from a player who had been only one part of the incoming package.
What St. Louis Received
Hackbart was useful as a defensive back and special-teams player, but his Cardinals tenure was brief. McGill also failed to create a comparable long-term return. The draft choice could have improved the Cardinals’ side, yet the available lineage does not support confidently assigning a particular eventual selection to this transaction. That uncertainty should not be converted into value that cannot be demonstrated.
How the Hindsight Standard Applies
Brown’s Minnesota tenure was short, so this was not a two-player jackpot. The judgment rests mainly on Wright. A multi-year contributor to elite defenses is substantially more valuable than the Cardinals’ limited veteran return, even after allowing for the unresolved draft-choice outcome.
Final Verdict
Minnesota wins the trade. Wright supplied the durable, high-level value that separated the two sides, while St. Louis never produced an equivalent return from McGill, Hackbart or the safely traceable portion of the future pick. An A for Minnesota and C- for St. Louis appropriately reflects that gap.