Minnesota acquired veteran defensive back Brady Keys from…
Minnesota acquired veteran defensive back Brady Keys from Pittsburgh for its 1968 third-round pick, No. 61. Keys provided the Vikings with short-term help, but his stay did not produce the same lasting value Pittsburgh received from the draft asset. The Steelers used the selection on Jon Henderson, who contributed across multiple NFL seasons after entering the league.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- player Brady Keys
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- pick 1968 third round pick (#61-Jon Henderson)
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Minnesota acquired veteran defensive back Brady Keys from Pittsburgh in October 1967. The Vikings' own draft history identifies their 1968 third-round choice, No. 61, as the price paid to the Steelers. The package is stated only to the level that published football histories can support, so an unidentified choice stays unidentified instead of being attached to an uncertain player. That keeps the exchange coherent while still allowing the football value on each side to be judged from the assets that are known.
What Minnesota Vikings Received
Keys played eight games for Minnesota in 1967 and did not become a long-term Viking. The trade delivered immediate secondary help, but the short stay limited the return on a third-round selection. The grade weighs both the price paid and the practical value that followed. A named draft choice is credited only when the selection can be connected to the exchange, while a general future choice remains general. That approach makes the historical comparison useful without overstating details that surviving accounts do not settle.
What Pittsburgh Steelers Received
Pittsburgh used the 61st pick on Jon Henderson. Henderson played 37 NFL games and scored six receiving touchdowns, giving the Steelers a multi-season contributor from the draft asset acquired in the trade. The other side is judged by the same standard: immediate games, starting value, later career impact, and the quality of any draft assets received. Where one part of the package produced little or no NFL value, that matters even if the original transaction looked balanced on paper.
Final Verdict
Pittsburgh earns a B+ and Minnesota a C. Keys provided brief help, while the Steelers turned the third-round choice into a player who contributed across several NFL seasons. That gives Pittsburgh the clearer long-term return. The verdict reflects the strongest supportable version of the transaction and the career value that followed. It does not depend on assigning an uncertain pick to a player simply to make the package look more complete. The result is a full historical evaluation of the trade that can stand on the known facts.