The Cardinals acquired Tom Chantiles in the October 22, 1942…
The Cardinals acquired Tom Chantiles in the October 22, 1942 player-for-player exchange. Chantiles had appeared in two games for Detroit before the trade, but his Cardinals stay was extremely short and he was released roughly a week later. That left Chicago with essentially no meaningful post-trade playing return from the deal and makes this side of the exchange difficult to defend.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Tom Chantiles
Detroit Lions Received
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1942-10-22, Arizona Cardinals received Tom Chantiles, while Detroit Lions received Chester Wetterlund / Chet Wetterlund. The evaluation follows the value actually created by the consideration each club controlled, while later transactions involving an acquired pick are treated as separate provenance rather than automatically credited back to this deal.
Arizona Cardinals Return
The Cardinals acquired Tom Chantiles in the October 22, 1942 player-for-player exchange. Chantiles had appeared in two games for Detroit before the trade, but his Cardinals stay was extremely short and he was released roughly a week later. That left Chicago with essentially no meaningful post-trade playing return from the deal and makes this side of the exchange difficult to defend.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit acquired Chet Wetterlund and received six games with three starts over the remainder of the 1942 season. Wetterlund contributed at quarterback and on defense, providing immediate lineup utility after the exchange. The total sample was small, but it materially exceeded what Tom Chantiles gave the Cardinals after the trade, making Detroit the clear winner on realized value.
Value in Hindsight
Contemporary reporting identifies a straight player-for-player exchange of Tom Chantiles for Chet Wetterlund on October 22, 1942. Wetterlund appeared in six Detroit games with three starts and contributed at quarterback and on defense. Chantiles had played two games for Detroit before the trade and was released by the Cardinals roughly a week later. Detroit therefore received the only meaningful post-trade playing value. The comparison is therefore based on direct club service, starting responsibility, production, and the practical value of any retained draft capital, without overstating downstream moves that required additional consideration.
Final Verdict
Arizona Cardinals receives a D and Detroit Lions receives a C+. The verdict is Detroit Lions Win. The grade spread reflects the modest scale of the original transaction while still recognizing which side produced the stronger realized football return.