Green Bay sent quarterback Don Horn and the 12th pick in the…
Green Bay sent quarterback Don Horn and the 12th pick in the 1971 draft to Denver for defensive end Alden Roche and the ninth pick. The Packers used No. 9 on John Brockington, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year, earned three straight Pro Bowls and opened his career with three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. That star-level draft outcome makes Green Bay the decisive winner.
Denver Broncos Received
- player Don Horn
- pick 1971 first round pick (#12-Marv Montgomery)
Green Bay Packers Received
- player Alden Roche
- pick 1971 first round pick (#9-John Brockington)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Green Bay and Denver made a first-round swap on January 28, 1971. The Packers sent quarterback Don Horn and pick No. 12 to the Broncos for defensive end Alden Roche and pick No. 9. Denver used the 12th selection on Marv Montgomery. Green Bay used the ninth pick on Ohio State fullback John Brockington, and that draft decision transformed an otherwise modest three-slot exchange.
What Green Bay Got
Brockington became an immediate star. The Packers' own history credits him as the 1971 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and an AP All-Pro, followed by Pro Bowl selections in each of his first three seasons. He rushed for 1,105 yards as a rookie and became the first NFL back to open a career with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Roche added another veteran asset, but Brockington alone supplied the overwhelming value.
What Denver Got
Denver received Horn and stayed in premium draft territory at No. 12, where it selected Montgomery. That package offered a quarterback option plus a high first-round talent, so the structure was defensible. The results never approached Green Bay's. Neither Horn's Broncos tenure nor Montgomery's career produced anything comparable to Brockington's immediate honors, rushing production and multi-year role as the centerpiece of the Packers offense.
How the Value Separated
Moving only three draft slots normally creates a relatively small gap. Here, the player selected with the higher pick became one of Green Bay's defining stars of the early 1970s. Once Brockington's Rookie of the Year award, All-Pro season and three straight Pro Bowls are considered, the trade's value separates sharply.
Final Verdict
Green Bay wins decisively. A- reflects a near-ideal conversion of the acquired pick into Brockington plus Roche. Denver's D reflects the large hindsight gap between its two assets and the star Green Bay selected at No. 9.