Atlanta acquired quarterback Ron VanderKelen from Minnesota…
Atlanta acquired quarterback Ron VanderKelen from Minnesota for two future draft choices. VanderKelen had been a reserve for the Vikings, and Atlanta did not receive a long-term return that matched the value Minnesota created from the picks. The Vikings used the 1968 seventh-round selection on Oscar Reed and the 1969 fifth-round selection on Jim Barnes, turning one reserve quarterback into two roster opportunities.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Ron VanderKelen
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 1968 seventh round pick (#167- Oscar Reed )
- pick 1969 fifth round pick (#106-Jim Barnes)
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Minnesota sent quarterback Ron VanderKelen to Atlanta in January 1968 for two future choices. Vikings draft history identifies the return as the 1968 seventh-round selection used on Oscar Reed and the 1969 fifth-round selection used on Jim Barnes. The package is stated only to the level that published football histories can support, so an unidentified choice stays unidentified instead of being attached to an uncertain player. That keeps the exchange coherent while still allowing the football value on each side to be judged from the assets that are known.
What Atlanta Falcons Received
Atlanta obtained an experienced reserve quarterback, but VanderKelen did not become a long-term Falcons answer. The move supplied depth rather than a lasting starter, limiting the eventual return on two selections. The grade weighs both the price paid and the practical value that followed. A named draft choice is credited only when the selection can be connected to the exchange, while a general future choice remains general. That approach makes the historical comparison useful without overstating details that surviving accounts do not settle.
What Minnesota Vikings Received
Minnesota converted a reserve quarterback into two draft choices and used both. Oscar Reed became an NFL running back, while Jim Barnes added another roster opportunity, giving the Vikings two concrete outcomes from the exchange. The other side is judged by the same standard: immediate games, starting value, later career impact, and the quality of any draft assets received. Where one part of the package produced little or no NFL value, that matters even if the original transaction looked balanced on paper.
Final Verdict
Minnesota earns a B+ because it turned a reserve quarterback into two selections with identified results. Atlanta got short-term depth, but the Vikings' two-player draft return provided the stronger overall value. The verdict reflects the strongest supportable version of the transaction and the career value that followed. It does not depend on assigning an uncertain pick to a player simply to make the package look more complete. The result is a full historical evaluation of the trade that can stand on the known facts.