Detroit traded star guard Dick Stanfel to Washington for…
Detroit traded star guard Dick Stanfel to Washington for defensive back Dick Alban in April 1956. Stanfel remained an elite lineman, earning first-team All-Pro honors in all three Washington seasons and later reaching the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Alban never played for Detroit, but the Lions quickly flipped him to Pittsburgh for Dick Modzelewski, preserving some indirect value from the original return.
Detroit Lions Received
- player Dick Alban
Washington Commanders Received
- player Dick Stanfel
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Detroit moved Dick Stanfel to Washington in April 1956, reuniting the standout guard with Joe Kuharich, his former college coach at San Francisco and then Washington’s head coach. Detroit received defensive back Dick Alban. The Lions were reshaping their roster and sought defensive help, while Washington aggressively pursued an elite offensive lineman with a direct connection to its coaching staff.
What Washington Received
Stanfel was already a championship-caliber player in Detroit, and his level did not decline after the trade. The Pro Football Hall of Fame credits him with first-team All-Pro honors in all three of his Washington seasons and Pro Bowl recognition during the same period. He played only seven NFL seasons in total, but five ended with first-team All-Pro honors, and his career eventually earned Hall of Fame induction. Washington therefore received three years of elite line play rather than a fading veteran’s final stretch.
What Detroit Received
Alban never played a regular-season game for the Lions, which makes the direct player-for-player comparison look brutal. Detroit did, however, preserve some value by moving Alban to Pittsburgh only days later in exchange for defensive lineman Dick Modzelewski. That second move matters when judging the front office’s asset management, even though it cannot be treated as if Modzelewski were literally part of the Washington transaction. The Lions avoided losing all value from Alban.
Final Verdict
Washington Redskins/Commanders Win. Acquiring a Hall of Fame guard who remained first-team All-Pro in every Washington season is an elite result. Detroit’s rapid flip of Alban prevents the return from being a total dead end, so a C- is fairer than an F when considering how the acquired asset was immediately reused. Washington still earns an A+ because Stanfel delivered three seasons of top-of-the-league performance after the trade. The difference between elite direct production and indirect salvage value leaves Washington clearly ahead.