Baltimore Colts received punter David Lee from Cleveland…
Baltimore Colts received punter David Lee from Cleveland Browns for the 1968 fifth round pick that became No. 134 Jackie Jackson. Lee became Baltimore’s punter for 13 seasons, played 184 games, accumulated 838 punts for 34,019 yards and contributed to championship teams. Jackson never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. That enormous realized-value gap makes this an Indianapolis Colts Win.
Cleveland Browns Received
- pick 1968 fifth round pick (#134-Jackie Jackson)
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player David Lee
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Baltimore acquired punter David Lee from Cleveland on June 23, 1966 in exchange for a future fifth-round selection. Colts historical material identifies the pick as the 1968 fifth-round choice, and Cleveland's official draft history shows that it became No. 134 Jackie Jackson. The package is fully traceable: Baltimore received an established specialist, while Cleveland received one mid-round draft asset two years later.
What Indianapolis Colts Got
Lee became one of the longest-serving punters in franchise history. From 1966 through 1978 he played 184 regular-season games for Baltimore, punted 838 times and accumulated 34,019 punting yards. He averaged more than 40 yards per punt for his career and was part of a franchise era that included an NFL championship and a Super Bowl victory. The Colts therefore turned a future fifth-round pick into 13 seasons of stability at a specialist position.
What Cleveland Browns Got
Cleveland used the acquired selection on Clemson defensive back Jackie Jackson with the 134th pick of the 1968 draft. Pro Football Reference's Browns draft history lists no NFL games for Jackson. Whatever developmental upside the choice carried on draft day, it produced no regular-season return for Cleveland. That makes the opportunity cost unusually clear because the outgoing player went on to hold Baltimore's punting job for more than a decade.
Final Verdict
Indianapolis Colts Win is decisive. A future fifth-round selection was a reasonable price for a punter in 1966, but hindsight produces a huge separation: Lee supplied 184 games and 13 seasons of punting, while Jackson never played an NFL regular-season game. Baltimore merits an A for converting modest draft capital into exceptional longevity and dependable production. Cleveland receives a D because the acquired pick produced nothing at the NFL level while the player surrendered became a long-term Colts fixture.