Minnesota acquired defensive lineman Doug Sutherland from New…
Minnesota acquired defensive lineman Doug Sutherland from New Orleans for running back Bill Harris in August 1971. The transaction involved one Harris, not two duplicate player entries. Sutherland went on to play 138 regular-season games for Minnesota, start 90 and appear in three Super Bowls. Harris played only one game for New Orleans and gained one rushing yard, producing an overwhelming Vikings advantage.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- player Doug Sutherland
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Bill Harris
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Minnesota and New Orleans completed a straight player-for-player trade on August 12, 1971. The Vikings received defensive lineman Doug Sutherland, while the Saints received running back Bill Harris. Minnesota's historical material confirms Harris as the player sent to New Orleans. The duplicated Harris listing that sometimes appears in reconstructed data is not a second asset and should be treated as one player.
What Minnesota Got
Sutherland became a major piece of the Vikings' defensive continuity during the 1970s. Minnesota credits him with 138 regular-season appearances and 90 starts for the franchise. He played in three of the Vikings' four Super Bowls and started in Super Bowls IX and XI. Even while sharing a defensive era with Hall of Fame names, Sutherland supplied a decade of dependable interior-line work and became one of the franchise's most durable defensive tackles.
What New Orleans Got
Harris produced almost nothing for the Saints. His New Orleans career consisted of one regular-season appearance in 1971, and his rushing line was one carry for one yard. Whatever roster logic the Saints saw in exchanging Sutherland for a running back, the move did not create lasting offensive value. The direct player comparison is therefore exceptionally lopsided.
How the Value Separated
There is no need to rely on speculative draft chains or indirect benefits. One acquired player became a long-tenured starter and Super Bowl participant; the other played a single game for his new club. That difference in durability, starts and team importance is large enough to support one of the stronger grade gaps in this wave.
Final Verdict
Minnesota wins decisively, A- to D. Sutherland's 138 games and 90 starts gave the Vikings enormous long-term value, while Harris' one-game Saints tenure offered essentially no counterweight.