Denver acquired defensive tackle Dave Costa from Buffalo on…
Denver acquired defensive tackle Dave Costa from Buffalo on January 23, 1967, sending the Bills a 1967 third-round pick used on Tom Rhoads and a 1968 fourth-round pick used on Edgar Chandler. Costa started all 70 games of his five Denver seasons and earned three straight AFL All-Star selections. Rhoads never played an NFL game, making Denver the decisive winner despite Chandler's useful Buffalo career.
Buffalo Bills Received
- pick 1967 third round pick (#70-Tom Rhoads)
- pick 1968 fourth round pick (#87-Edgar Chandler)
Denver Broncos Received
- player Dave Costa
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Buffalo had reached three straight AFL championship games from 1964 through 1966, but Dave Costa was not a starter for the Bills in 1966. Eight days after Super Bowl I, Buffalo sent him to Denver. A Professional Football Researchers Association biography identifies the price as Denver's third-round pick in 1967 and fourth-round pick in 1968. Pro Sports Transactions ties those choices to No. 70 Tom Rhoads and No. 87 Edgar Chandler, while Pro Football Archives dates Costa's move to Denver to January 23, 1967.
What Denver Received
Costa became one of the most productive pieces of Denver's rebuilding effort. He started every game for the Broncos from 1967 through 1971, a run of 70 consecutive starts. Pro Football Reference credits him with 37.5 sacks over those five seasons, and the PFRA biography notes that he was selected to the AFL All-Star Game in 1967, 1968, and 1969. Denver therefore received far more than a short-term veteran: Costa became a durable, high-level starter through the remainder of the AFL era and into the NFL merger.
What Buffalo Received
The first pick became Tom Rhoads, who did not play an NFL regular-season game. The second became Edgar Chandler, an offensive lineman who did provide Buffalo with several seasons of service. Chandler kept the return from being a complete miss, but the two-pick package did not match Costa's immediate and sustained impact in Denver. Buffalo also later brought Costa back for the 1974 season, underscoring how much useful football remained after the original deal.
Final Verdict
Denver Broncos Win. Denver earns an A- for converting two mid-round picks into a five-year, every-game starter and three-time AFL All-Star. Buffalo gets a C+ because Chandler supplied genuine value even though Rhoads did not reach the field. Costa's longevity, production, and honors create a large enough gap that the winner is unmistakable.