San Francisco traded tackle Dave McCormick to New Orleans on…
San Francisco traded tackle Dave McCormick to New Orleans on September 5, 1967 for the Saints' 1968 sixth-round choice. The pick became No. 141 overall, where the 49ers selected Tennessee State wide receiver Leo Johnson. Johnson spent 1968 on the taxi squad, then appeared in 21 regular-season games for San Francisco across 1969-70, catching four passes for 42 yards. The return was modest, but it produced two seasons of roster service.
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Dave McCormick
San Francisco 49ers Received
- pick 1968 sixth round pick (#141-Leo Johnson)
Trade Analysis
The compensation can be resolved cleanly. San Francisco's historical transaction ledger says the 49ers traded tackle Dave McCormick to New Orleans for a 1968 sixth-round pick and used that selection on Tennessee State receiver Leo Johnson. The Saints' own historical draft material says their 1968 sixth-round choice was traded to San Francisco for McCormick. Pro Sports Transactions and the completed 1968 draft ledger identify the exact selection as No. 141 overall. The legacy row's 'possibly #141' language is no longer necessary.
McCormick had played 14 games for San Francisco in 1966 before the trade. His New Orleans tenure was much shorter. Pro Football Archives credits him with two regular-season games and no starts for the Saints in 1967. He did not appear in an NFL regular-season game in 1968, and the archive lists his retirement from New Orleans afterward. TradeVerdicts therefore credits the Saints only for those two appearances, not for his earlier 49ers season.
San Francisco used No. 141 on Leo Johnson. The 49ers' draft history identifies him as the sixth-round choice acquired from New Orleans. Johnson did not appear in a regular-season game as a rookie in 1968, spending time on the taxi squad after being released, but returned to the active roster in 1969. Pro Football Archives credits him with 14 games in 1969 and seven in 1970, all for San Francisco, with four receptions for 42 yards in 1969. He never became a major offensive contributor, but he gave the 49ers 21 games of roster service from the acquired pick.
Neither side found a long-term starter, so this is not a high-impact trade in hindsight. New Orleans received only two games from McCormick. San Francisco received a sixth-round selection that eventually produced two seasons of active-roster service from Johnson. That is a real advantage, even if the statistical contribution was small.
The 49ers therefore receive the narrow but clear edge. A B- for San Francisco and D+ for New Orleans reflects 21 Johnson appearances against two McCormick appearances while keeping the grades restrained because neither return materially changed the club's long-term trajectory.