Denver acquired quarterback Charley Johnson from Houston for…
Denver acquired quarterback Charley Johnson from Houston for a 1973 third-round choice on August 16, 1972. Johnson became the Broncos’ primary quarterback and led the franchise to its first winning season in 1973. Houston later dealt the acquired pick to Baltimore, which selected Bill Olds at No. 61. Denver’s direct multi-season quarterback value makes this a strong Broncos win.
Denver Broncos Received
- player Charley Johnson / Charlie Johnson (Lane)
Tennessee Titans Received
- pick 1973 third round pick (#61, later dealt to Baltimore; Colts selected Bill Olds)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Denver’s historical transaction record lists an August 1972 trade with Houston in which the Broncos acquired quarterback Charley Johnson for a third-round selection in the 1973 draft. The same Denver material notes that Houston later dealt that choice to Baltimore, which used pick No. 61 on Bill Olds. That distinction matters: Olds was the eventual selection, not a player who directly joined the Oilers from this trade.
What Denver Received
Johnson became far more than temporary quarterback depth. Denver’s Ring of Fame history describes the trade as one of the franchise’s important early moves and credits Johnson with helping the Broncos reach their first winning season, a 7-5-2 finish in 1973. NFL statistics show him throwing for 2,465 yards and 20 touchdowns that season. He remained a Denver quarterback through 1975 and provided credible starting play during a formative period for the franchise.
What Houston Received
The Oilers obtained a valuable third-round draft asset, but they did not turn it into Bill Olds themselves. Their choice was subsequently sent to Baltimore, so Houston’s ultimate benefit came through a later transaction rather than through the player selected at No. 61. Without a documented direct downstream return comparable to Johnson’s Denver production, the original trade weighs heavily toward the Broncos.
Final Verdict
Denver wins decisively because Johnson supplied several seasons of quarterback value and was central to the club’s first winning campaign. Houston did recover meaningful draft capital, which prevents the return from being treated as worthless, but the choice was moved again and does not match Johnson’s direct impact. An A for Denver and C- for Houston reflects a major realized-value gap without miscrediting Olds to the Oilers.