Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys exchanged draft pick…
Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys exchanged draft pick (selection not identified) for Bruce Van Ness. Atlanta had drafted Van Ness 112th overall in 1970, but he played in Canada rather than appearing for the Falcons. The unknown pick prevents a strong Falcons grade, while Van Ness' lack of Cowboys service prevents a Dallas edge. In hindsight, neither side created a meaningful advantage, so the exchange remains even after weighing actual post-trade service rather than the names or nominal asset types involved.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- pick draft pick (selection not identified)
Dallas Cowboys Received
- player Bruce Van Ness
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Atlanta sent the NFL rights to 1970 fourth-round pick Bruce Van Ness to Dallas for a draft choice whose exact selection has not been established in surviving records.
Atlanta Falcons Return
Atlanta had drafted Van Ness 112th overall in 1970, but he played in Canada rather than appearing for the Falcons. Moving his rights for a future draft asset was a reasonable attempt to recover value. Because the exact selection has not been identified, however, no specific drafted player's career can be assigned to Atlanta from this transaction.
Dallas Cowboys Return
Dallas acquired Van Ness' NFL rights, not a player who went on to contribute for the Cowboys. His professional career remained in the Canadian game during this period, and there is no regular-season Dallas production to credit to the acquisition. The Cowboys therefore gained theoretical rights value but no measurable NFL return.
Value in Hindsight
The unknown pick prevents a strong Falcons grade, while Van Ness' lack of Cowboys service prevents a Dallas edge. It would be speculative to assign Atlanta a downstream draft success that cannot be traced, just as it would be wrong to treat the rights acquisition as meaningful NFL production.
The grade also avoids rewarding either side simply for acquiring a named veteran or a numbered draft choice. The useful question is what the new club actually received after the transaction: games, starts, production, roster longevity, or a traceable downstream selection. That realized-value test keeps a small historical exchange from being overstated.
Final Verdict
With no verified on-field payoff for either side, this is even. Both teams receive C- grades, reflecting a defensible low-cost rights exchange that did not produce demonstrable NFL value.