Indianapolis conditionally acquired defensive back Demetrious…
Indianapolis conditionally acquired defensive back Demetrious Johnson from Detroit for a 1989 twelfth-round pick, but Colts records mark the selection as tied to an unmet condition. The pick was therefore not exercised, and Johnson did not appear in a regular-season game for Indianapolis before playing three games for Miami in 1987. With no durable value transferred, the result is even.
Detroit Lions Received
- pick 1989 conditional twelfth round pick (not exercised)
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Demetrious Johnson
Trade Analysis
The Documented Exchange
Detroit conditionally traded defensive back Demetrious Johnson to Indianapolis in August 1987 for a future 1989 twelfth-round choice. Lions historical material describes the return as an undisclosed future draft choice, while Colts transaction history identifies it specifically as a 1989 twelfth-rounder. The Colts notation is important: the pick carries the mark used for a transaction cancelled when its condition was not met. That means the draft choice was never ultimately transferred to Detroit.
What Indianapolis Received
Johnson had been a regular contributor for Detroit earlier in his career, but Indianapolis did not receive comparable regular-season value. Career records do not list a 1987 Colts regular-season appearance for him. Instead, Johnson appeared in three games and made two starts for Miami that season. The evidence therefore supports treating his Indianapolis stay as a conditional preseason or roster transaction that failed to produce regular-season service for the Colts.
What Detroit Received
Detroit’s expected return was the conditional 1989 twelfth-round pick. Because the condition was not satisfied, Colts history marks the draft compensation as cancelled. The Lions therefore did not gain a usable selection from the exchange. They also did not surrender a player who went on to provide Indianapolis meaningful regular-season production, limiting the practical cost of the failed condition.
Final Verdict
This is best understood as a conditional transaction that never matured into a meaningful football exchange. Indianapolis did not receive regular-season production from Johnson, and Detroit did not receive the future pick because the condition failed. Neither side created an enduring advantage, so both receive a C and the verdict is Even Trade. The neutral grade reflects the lack of realized value rather than treating the unexercised pick as if it had actually changed hands.