Washington acquired veteran tight end Chris Dressel from…
Washington acquired veteran tight end Chris Dressel from Houston in June 1987 for an undisclosed 1988 draft choice. Contemporary reports support a future pick but do not support the current conditional, not-exercised wording. Dressel was cut by Washington before the regular season, leaving the Redskins without game value from the acquisition. Houston therefore gets a narrow C+ to D+ win despite the unidentified downstream pick.
Washington Commanders Received
- player Chris Dressel
Tennessee Titans Received
- pick 1988 draft choice (round and selection not identified)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Washington acquired Chris Dressel from Houston on June 22, 1987. The Washington Post and UPI both describe the compensation as an undisclosed 1988 draft choice. That is important because the current asset text calls it conditional and says it was not exercised, details that are not supported by the contemporary accounts and should not be carried into the final package.
Washington Redskins/Commanders Return
Washington hoped Dressel could provide experienced tight-end depth behind its established veterans. He spent the summer competing for a reserve role but was released before the regular season. That means the Redskins paid a future draft asset without receiving regular-season production from Dressel, a poor but still low-cost outcome that warrants a below-average grade.
Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans Return
Houston moved a veteran whose role had diminished and received a 1988 draft choice in return. The exact round and eventual player are not identified in the strongest surviving reports, so the Oilers should not receive credit for an imagined premium asset. Still, getting any future choice for a player who then failed to make Washington's roster is a positive result.
Value in Hindsight
The missing downstream identity does not erase the basic football result. Washington spent a future pick and got no regular-season games from Dressel, while Houston turned a surplus veteran into draft capital. The Oilers deserve the win, but the unknown round and the small scale of the transaction keep the grade gap to C+ versus D+ rather than anything more dramatic.
Final Verdict
The final call is Houston Oilers Win. Washington Redskins/Commanders receives a D+ grade and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans receives a C+ grade. The grades emphasize the assets that actually survived the transaction, the useful NFL production generated after the move, and the price each club paid. The result stays proportional to the size of the deal and does not turn a depth move or late-round asset into a franchise-changing event.