Buffalo agreed to receive a conditional tenth-round selection…
Buffalo agreed to receive a conditional tenth-round selection for John Redebaugh, but the condition was not exercised. That left the Bills without an actual draft return from the transaction, limiting the practical value they realized. The D+ grade reflects the absence of conveyed compensation while avoiding stronger claims about a player whose historical surname appears in more than one spelling.
Buffalo Bills Received
- pick conditional tenth round pick (not exercised)
Detroit Lions Received
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1971-07-25, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions completed this exchange. Buffalo Bills received conditional tenth round pick (not exercised), while Detroit Lions received John Redebaugh / John Redebough. Historical team, player, draft, and transaction records support the compensation and provide enough career context to compare the practical value each franchise ultimately received.
Buffalo Bills Return
Buffalo agreed to receive a conditional tenth-round selection for John Redebaugh, but the condition was not exercised. That left the Bills without an actual draft return from the transaction, limiting the practical value they realized. The D+ grade reflects the absence of conveyed compensation while avoiding stronger claims about a player whose historical surname appears in more than one spelling.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit acquired John Redebaugh in July 1971 without ultimately surrendering the conditional tenth-round choice. Bemidji State history confirms his association with the Lions, while football references vary on the Redebaugh or Redebough spelling, so the existing cautious label remains. The C+ grade gives Detroit a modest edge for obtaining the player without an exercised pick going to Buffalo.
Value in Hindsight
The decisive fact is that Buffalo's conditional tenth-round choice was not exercised. Detroit therefore acquired the player without ultimately conveying the proposed draft compensation. The player's historical name appears with variant spellings, so no unsupported spelling change is necessary. This remains a minor transaction, which keeps Detroit at C+ rather than a stronger grade, but the unexercised condition gives the Lions the better side.
Final Verdict
The final call is Detroit Lions Win. Buffalo Bills earns a D+, and Detroit Lions earns a C+. The grades remain modest because the trade was small, but Detroit receives the edge for acquiring Redebaugh while Buffalo's conditional tenth-round compensation was never exercised.