The Raiders received linebacker Alex Gordon in the October…
The Raiders received linebacker Alex Gordon in the October 1990 injury-driven swap. Gordon appeared in 10 games for Los Angeles but did not become a starter, giving the club only limited short-term depth value. Because Dennis Price eventually returned from injury and contributed for New York, the Raiders finish slightly behind with a C-.
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- player Alex Gordon
New York Jets Received
- player Dennis Price
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The Jets and Raiders exchanged Dennis Price and Alex Gordon on October 15, 1990. Contemporary coverage characterized the deal as essentially an injury-for-injury swap, which is important context for expectations. Neither club was acquiring a healthy established starter ready to transform the lineup. The hindsight question is therefore which side eventually extracted more usable football value from a transaction built around damaged depth pieces.
Las Vegas Raiders Return
The Raiders received Gordon, who appeared in 10 games after the trade but did not become a starter. That gave Los Angeles some roster depth and keeps the move from being a complete miss. At the same time, the contribution was limited. Gordon did not establish a major defensive role or create enough impact to give the Raiders a strong advantage from the exchange.
New York Jets Return
New York acquired Price while dealing with his injury situation. His value was delayed rather than immediate, but he eventually returned and provided the Jets with a modest contribution. That outcome was not dramatic, yet it gave New York slightly more useful value than the Raiders received from Gordon's reserve appearances. In a trade this small, even a narrow edge in realized service can decide the verdict.
Value in Hindsight
This should remain one of the tighter judgments in the batch. Neither player delivered a major payoff, and the original exchange was driven by injuries rather than by a large value bet. Gordon gave the Raiders some games; Price eventually gave the Jets a little more. The grades stay close because the difference in impact was modest.
Final Verdict
New York Jets Win. New York receives a C for eventually getting some useful service from Price. The Raiders receive a C- because Gordon's 10-game reserve role produced slightly less lasting value.