Green Bay acquired Jack Jacobs, who played 36 games and made…
Green Bay acquired Jack Jacobs, who played 36 games and made 17 starts over three Packers seasons, while Washington received Bob Nussbaumer and the rights to John Ferraro. Nussbaumer delivered 22 Washington games, 849 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 1947-48; Ferraro never played in the NFL. Both teams received real value, but Jacobs' multi-year quarterback role gives Green Bay a narrow edge.
Green Bay Packers Received
- player Jack Jacobs
Washington Commanders Received
- player Bob Nusbaumer
- other player to be selected by mutual agreement
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Green Bay acquired Jack Jacobs from Washington in January 1947 for Bob Nussbaumer and a second player to be selected by mutual agreement. Contemporary Packers reporting later identifies that second piece as the draft rights to USC tackle John Ferraro, Green Bay's 1946 sixth-round selection at No. 46. That resolves the previously generic rights asset without changing the recorded package.
Green Bay Packers Return
Green Bay received a quarterback who immediately became a substantial part of its offense. Jacobs played 36 games and started 17 over three Packers seasons. In 1947 alone he threw for 1,615 yards and 16 touchdowns while starting eight games, and he remained a regular part of the offense in 1948. His Green Bay tenure was not championship-level, but it was concrete multi-season starting value from the central position.
Washington Return
Washington also received meaningful production. Nussbaumer played 22 games with three starts across 1947 and 1948, catching 66 passes for 849 yards and five touchdowns while adding 195 rushing yards. The additional rights piece did not compound that value: Ferraro had been Green Bay's No. 46 pick in 1946, but draft records show no NFL playing career for him. Washington's return therefore rests almost entirely on Nussbaumer, and that return was legitimately productive.
Value in Hindsight
This is much closer than a generic quarterback-for-parts description suggests. Nussbaumer gave Washington two productive receiving seasons, while Jacobs gave Green Bay three seasons and 17 starts at quarterback. Ferraro did not play, so he does not materially change the balance. Jacobs' duration and positional importance provide the narrow separator rather than a lopsided difference in realized value.
Final Verdict
Green Bay earns a B+ for three seasons of meaningful quarterback service. Washington moves to a B because Nussbaumer was a productive two-year contributor even though the Ferraro rights produced nothing. Green Bay Packers Win remains the verdict, but only by a modest margin.