Cincinnati traded veteran tight end Dan Ross to Seattle on…
Cincinnati traded veteran tight end Dan Ross to Seattle on October 15, 1985, for a 1986 fourth-round pick, No. 99 overall. The Bengals used the selection on quarterback Doug Gaynor, who appeared in only one NFL game for Cincinnati. Ross gave Seattle immediate receiving help and was later traded again, leaving the Seahawks with the better realized return.
Cincinnati Bengals Received
- pick 1986 fourth-round pick (99th overall, Doug Gaynor)
Seattle Seahawks Received
- player Dan Ross
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Seattle acquired veteran tight end Dan Ross from Cincinnati on October 15, 1985, in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 1986 draft. That choice landed at No. 99 overall, where the Bengals selected quarterback Doug Gaynor. Ross arrived as an experienced receiving option for a Seattle team seeking help during the season.
Cincinnati's Return
The Bengals converted Ross into a fourth-round pick, which was a reasonable piece of compensation for a veteran. The problem was the eventual result. Gaynor appeared in only one NFL game for Cincinnati and completed three passes for 30 yards. The pick therefore failed to create meaningful long-term value, leaving Cincinnati with a sound process but a weak football payoff.
Seattle's Return
Ross played ten games for the Seahawks in 1985 and started five, catching ten passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Those totals were modest, but he supplied immediate veteran depth at tight end. Seattle also recovered future value by trading Ross to Green Bay in August 1986 for a 1987 twelfth-round selection, extending the return beyond his short first season.
Value in Hindsight
A fourth-round pick is meaningful compensation, so Seattle needed more than a brief cameo for the deal to grade well. Ross provided some actual production and then became another trade asset. Cincinnati had the higher-upside resource in the No. 99 selection, but Gaynor's one-game NFL tenure prevented the Bengals from converting that advantage into sustained value.
Final Verdict
Seattle Seahawks Win. Seattle earns a B- because Ross contributed during the 1985 season and later brought back another draft choice. Cincinnati receives a D+ because the fourth-rounder became a quarterback who played only one game for the club. The Seahawks did not land a star, but they extracted substantially more usable value from the transaction.