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.
The unmet condition and Johnson's absence left both clubs without meaningful realized value.