Pittsburgh acquired Bob Wade from Baltimore for Ed Brown,…
Pittsburgh acquired Bob Wade from Baltimore for Ed Brown, with a later condition adding a 1969 draft pick if Wade made the Steelers roster. Wade appeared in all 14 games and started 11 in 1968, so the condition was met, although the exact resulting selection remains unidentified. With useful but limited returns on both sides, the exchange stays an even C/C trade.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Ed Brown
- pick 1969 conditional draft pick (condition met; selection not identified)
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- player Bob Wade
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Pittsburgh acquired Bob Wade from the Baltimore Colts in January 1968 for Ed Brown. A February addendum required Pittsburgh to send a 1969 draft choice if Wade made the Steelers roster. Wade appeared in all 14 games and started 11 that season, so the condition was satisfied. The exact selection that fulfilled the obligation has not been identified, but that bounded uncertainty does not erase the known player exchange or the fact that the condition was met. Pittsburgh Steelers Return Pittsburgh received Wade and immediately used him extensively. Starting 11 games establishes that he was more than a camp body and confirms why the conditional pick became due. The Steelers therefore obtained genuine short-term roster value. At the same time, Wade's tenure did not create a major long-term advantage that would justify grading Pittsburgh well above the Colts, especially because the final price included both Brown and a future selection. Indianapolis Colts Return Baltimore received Brown plus the additional 1969 draft choice. The exact downstream identity of that pick remains unresolved, so it would be wrong to invent a number or player. Even without that detail, the Colts clearly received two forms of consideration once Wade made Pittsburgh's roster. That gives Baltimore enough value to offset the useful season Pittsburgh got from Wade without establishing a decisive edge. Value in Hindsight The uncertainty is narrow rather than transaction-wide. We know the players, the condition, the fact that Wade triggered it, and the draft year of the additional selection. What remains unknown is only the exact pick identity. That is sufficient to evaluate the scale of the trade conservatively. Neither club appears to have gained a lasting advantage strong enough to separate the grades. Final Verdict Pittsburgh and Baltimore each receive a C, producing an even verdict. The Steelers got immediate starts from Wade, while the Colts received Brown and a future pick once the condition was satisfied. The unidentified selection should stay explicitly unidentified rather than guessed. With modest value on both sides and no clear long-term winner, the balanced result is the most defensible conclusion.