Indianapolis acquired linebacker Chip Banks from San Diego on…
Indianapolis acquired linebacker Chip Banks from San Diego on October 17, 1989 for a conditional pick that became the 67th selection in 1990, wide receiver Walter Wilson. Banks started 51 games for the Colts across four seasons and finished his Indianapolis tenure with a nine-sack 1992 season. Wilson played 14 games with five starts and 87 receiving yards for the Chargers, leaving Indianapolis clearly ahead.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Chip Banks
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- pick conditional draft pick(s) (conditional on Banks performance and his remaining drug-free) (1990 third round pick (#67-Walter Wilson (James)))
Trade Analysis
Why the Conditional Deal Made Sense
San Diego moved Chip Banks to Indianapolis on October 17, 1989 after a difficult period in which the veteran linebacker had not played during the 1988 season. Contemporary reporting described the compensation as conditional, with the value depending on Banks' performance and his remaining drug-free. The condition ultimately became a 1990 third-round pick, No. 67, which the Chargers used on Walter Wilson.
What Indianapolis Received
Banks returned to regular-season action immediately. He played 10 games and started all 10 for the Colts in 1989, then started all 16 in 1990. Across four Indianapolis seasons he appeared in 53 games with 51 starts. His production included 4.5 sacks in 1990 and a nine-sack season in 1992, showing that the Colts received much more than a brief reclamation appearance.
How the Chargers' Pick Developed
Wilson, a wide receiver, played 14 games for San Diego in 1990 and started five. He caught 10 passes for 87 yards and did not score a receiving touchdown. That was legitimate roster value from the conditional return, but it lasted only one season and never approached the snap volume or defensive production Banks delivered in Indianapolis.
Final Verdict
San Diego was justified in seeking a conditional asset given the uncertainty surrounding Banks, and the condition did convert into a third-round selection. The outcome, however, strongly favored Indianapolis. Banks became a four-season starter and ended his Colts run with one of his best pass-rushing seasons, while Wilson's Chargers career was short. Indianapolis earns B+ for the successful veteran bet; San Diego receives C for a real but limited return. Indianapolis Colts Win is the appropriate verdict.