St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals and Houston Oilers/Tennessee…
St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans completed this trade on 1970-01-21. Farr immediately became a full-time Cardinals starter and intercepted five passes in 1970, then continued starting in 1971 and 1972. Houston received experienced players, but St. Louis secured the most durable high-level post-trade contribution. The post-trade results provide the clearest measure of what each club gained from the exchange. The historical return supports a St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals Win verdict, with St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals graded B+ and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans graded C+.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Miller Farr
- player Pete Beathard
Tennessee Titans Received
- player Charley Johnson / Charlie Johnson (Lane)
- player Bob Atkins
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
St. Louis acquired cornerback Miller Farr and quarterback Pete Beathard from Houston for quarterback Charley Johnson and defensive back Bob Atkins. Contemporary Oilers material confirms Johnson and Atkins as Houston's return. The original transaction matters because later pick movement can blur what each club actually received. This version keeps the identified assets attached to the correct side.
What St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals Received
St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals came away with Miller Farr, Pete Beathard. Farr immediately became a full-time Cardinals starter and intercepted five passes in 1970, then continued starting in 1971 and 1972. Houston received experienced players, but St. Louis secured the most durable high-level post-trade contribution. The grade reflects both the quality of that return and how directly it benefited the franchise.
What Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans Received
Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans received Charley Johnson / Charlie Johnson (Lane), Bob Atkins. The comparison is not based only on the apparent value of the package on trade day. It weighs what those assets became, how long the player contribution lasted, whether a draft choice produced usable service, and whether either side quickly moved on without meaningful return.
How the Value Aged
Farr immediately became a full-time Cardinals starter and intercepted five passes in 1970, then continued starting in 1971 and 1972. Houston received experienced players, but St. Louis secured the most durable high-level post-trade contribution. That is the key separator in the hindsight grade. The transaction can still have made sense for both clubs at the time, especially when veterans, roster needs and future choices were valued differently than they are today. The verdict instead measures the football value each franchise ultimately captured from the assets received in this specific exchange.
Final Verdict
The best hindsight result is St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals Win. St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals earns a B+ and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans earns a C+. Flips to St. Louis/Arizona because Miller Farr delivered three strong starting seasons after the trade. The grade spread stays proportional to the actual impact: a clear but modest advantage remains modest, while a long-term starter or star compared with little return creates a wider separation.