Cleveland Browns received Clark Hoss in the exchange with New…
Cleveland Browns received Clark Hoss in the exchange with New England Patriots. Clark Hoss did not produce regular-season value for Cleveland after the move, so the Browns gained little from the player side of the exchange. Against New England Patriots' return of 1973 seventh round pick (undisclosed), that result supports a D+ grade. The transaction is judged as New England Patriots Win, with the mark based on the football value that actually followed from the deal.
Cleveland Browns Received
- player Clark Hoss
New England Patriots Received
- pick 1973 seventh round pick (undisclosed)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots completed this transaction on 1972-07-31. Cleveland Browns received Clark Hoss, while New England Patriots received 1973 seventh round pick (undisclosed). Historical records support the core package, so the fairest comparison is the football value each asset actually produced after the exchange.
Cleveland Browns Return
Clark Hoss did not produce regular-season value for Cleveland after the move, so the Browns gained little from the player side of the exchange. That outcome supports the D+ grade assigned to Cleveland Browns. The mark credits value traceable to this deal, including playing time, starts, special-teams work, or the downstream use of a draft choice. It stays proportional to the size of the transaction rather than treating every acquired asset as equally important.
New England Patriots Return
New England recovered Cleveland's 1973 seventh-round draft capital. Even without relying on an exact downstream player identity, that asset carried more realized value than Cleveland received from Hoss. That outcome supports the C+ grade assigned to New England Patriots. The same standard applies here: the asset is judged by its realized NFL contribution, not by hypothetical upside that never became part of the return. That keeps the comparison focused on what the club actually received.
Value in Hindsight
Clark Hoss did not produce regular-season value for Cleveland after the move, so the Browns gained little from the player side of the exchange. New England recovered Cleveland's 1973 seventh-round draft capital. Even without relying on an exact downstream player identity, that asset carried more realized value than Cleveland received from Hoss. Together, those outcomes explain the grade spread. Useful short-term contribution still matters, but a longer or more productive return deserves the stronger mark. When both sides generated little value, the grades stay close; when the production gap was substantial, the verdict follows that separation.
Final Verdict
New England Patriots Win. Cleveland Browns receives a D+, while New England Patriots receives a C+. The grades reflect the documented exchange and the value that followed from it, with the margin scaled to the actual importance and longevity of the returns.