San Francisco acquired Colt McCoy and the 173rd selection in…
San Francisco acquired Colt McCoy and the 173rd selection in 2013 for picks 164 and 227. McCoy supplied quarterback depth, while the sixth-rounder helped the 49ers move up for Vance McDonald in a separate exchange. That contribution matters, but it does not make McDonald's entire career the product of the McCoy deal.
Cleveland Browns Received
- pick 2013 5th round pick (164th overall subsequently traded, Mike Gillislee )
- pick 2013 7th round pick (227th overall, Garrett Gilkey )
San Francisco 49ers Received
- player Colt McCoy
- pick 2013 6th round pick (173rd overall subsequently traded, Vinston Painter )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
San Francisco acquired quarterback Colt McCoy and sixth-round selection 173 from Cleveland in April 2013, sending fifth-round selection 164 and seventh-round selection 227 in return. The 49ers announced the completed trade on April 2 after McCoy's physical. McCoy gave San Francisco a quarterback with starting experience in addition to the incoming draft choice.
San Francisco 49ers Return
McCoy provided experienced depth behind Colin Kaepernick and completed one regular-season pass for 13 yards in 2013. San Francisco also combined pick 173 with its own pick 61 to obtain pick 55 from Green Bay and select Vance McDonald. That acquired choice helped finance the move. McDonald's subsequent 49ers contribution was real, but it required another substantial asset and cannot be attributed entirely to this transaction.
Cleveland Browns Return
Cleveland selected Garrett Gilkey with pick 227, receiving a short stint of offensive-line service. Pick 164 joined another Browns selection in the Miami deal that brought Davone Bess and picks 111 and 217. Those were actual assets Cleveland received when it moved the choice onward. Mike Gillislee, eventually selected by Miami at 164, was not a player Cleveland drafted or acquired through this exchange.
Value in Hindsight
Both teams extracted secondary roster value and retained options through the draft. McCoy's playing contribution was small, and Gilkey did not become a long-term Browns starter. San Francisco's later move for McDonald and Cleveland's package for Bess explain how the selections were used without assigning an entire later trade to one contributing pick. Vinston Painter's eventual selection by Denver likewise supplies history rather than 49ers playing credit.
Final Verdict
An even verdict with B grades reflects a modest exchange with useful flexibility on both sides. Neither McCoy's reserve role nor Cleveland's immediate returns establish a decisive standalone winner. The later transactions add context, but their additional costs keep the evaluation of this original deal restrained.