The Rams acquired linebacker Chris Martin from Kansas City in…
The Rams acquired linebacker Chris Martin from Kansas City in May 1993 for a conditional 1994 draft choice tied to his playing time. The condition became pick No. 199, which the Chiefs used on quarterback Steve Matthews. Martin gave Los Angeles two seasons of useful veteran service, while Matthews appeared in only three NFL games, producing a clear but modest Rams win.
Kansas City Chiefs Received
- pick 1994 conditional pick (dependent on Martin's playing time with Rams) (#199-Steve Matthews)
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Chris Martin (b. 1960-12-19)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On May 7, 1993, Kansas City sent linebacker Chris Martin to the Los Angeles Rams for a conditional 1994 choice dependent on Martin's playing time. The Chiefs' own draft history states that the Rams' seventh-round pick acquired in the Martin trade became No. 199 Steve Matthews, resolving the conditional asset.
Kansas City Chiefs Return
Kansas City obtained a draft choice instead of losing Martin for nothing, and the condition converted into a seventh-round selection. The Chiefs used it on quarterback Steve Matthews. He appeared in only three NFL games, so the downstream football value was limited. The process earns some credit, but the realized return does not match the service Martin provided after leaving.
Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams Return
Martin immediately appeared in all 16 games for the 1993 Rams and made four starts. He remained with the club in 1994, giving Los Angeles multiple seasons of veteran linebacker depth for the cost of a seventh-round pick. That is useful, efficient roster value and supports a B grade without overstating Martin as a star acquisition.
Value in Hindsight
The conditional pick is no longer uncertain, which makes the comparison clean. Kansas City received No. 199 and selected a quarterback with a three-game career, while the Rams received two seasons of usable veteran defense. The stakes were modest and neither side landed a star, but Los Angeles clearly extracted more practical football value from the transaction.
Final Verdict
The final call is Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams Win. Kansas City Chiefs receives a C+ grade and Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams receives a B grade. The grades weigh the actual football value created after the transaction, the cost paid, the length and quality of each return, and the uncertainty that still exists in the historical evidence. The judgment stays proportional to the size of the move rather than treating a depth transaction or late pick swap like a franchise-changing blockbuster.