Seattle sent center Kevin Thomas to Phoenix on August 7,…
Seattle sent center Kevin Thomas to Phoenix on August 7, 1989, for a conditional 1990 draft choice. Seattle’s own transaction history says the trade criteria were not met, so the pick never became usable draft capital. Thomas was then waived by Phoenix later that month, leaving both clubs with almost no lasting football value from the move.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Kevin Thomas
Seattle Seahawks Received
- pick 1990 conditional draft pick (trade criteria not met)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Seattle moved center Kevin Thomas to Phoenix on August 7, 1989, in exchange for a conditional choice in the 1990 draft. The Seahawks’ own all-time transaction history supplies the key detail: the trade criteria were not met. That means Seattle never received an exercisable draft selection, making the nominal return much less valuable than the phrase “conditional pick” can initially suggest.
Immediate Value
Thomas had joined Seattle only months earlier as a free agent, so the Seahawks were trying to recover something from a player on the roster fringe. Phoenix obtained a veteran center for training-camp evaluation without paying guaranteed draft capital. The arrangement gave both teams flexibility, but neither side converted that flexibility into regular-season production or a tangible long-term asset.
Phoenix Outcome
The Cardinals’ side ended quickly. Contemporary transaction reporting shows Phoenix waived Thomas later in August, before he could establish meaningful regular-season value. Because the condition attached to the draft choice was not met, Seattle did not receive compensation afterward. Phoenix therefore received little beyond a short evaluation window, while Seattle simply cleared a roster spot.
Value in Hindsight
This is a useful example of why conditional trades must be judged by realized value rather than the most favorable possible return. Seattle did not actually obtain a draft choice, and Phoenix did not retain Thomas into the season. There is no meaningful downstream player, selection, or sustained contribution that creates separation between the teams. The transaction essentially washed out.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Both clubs receive a C-. Seattle moved on from a marginal roster piece but failed to trigger the conditional pick. Phoenix got a low-cost look at Thomas but waived him before the season. With no exercised selection and no lasting player contribution, neither side can reasonably claim a meaningful win from the exchange.