Cleveland acquired defensive tackle Mike Bundra from…
Cleveland acquired defensive tackle Mike Bundra from Minnesota on October 5, 1964, sending the 1965 fourth-round choice that became No. 55 Jim Harris. Bundra appeared in nine games for the Browns during their 1964 championship season. Harris was drafted by Minnesota but signed with the AFL's New York Jets and never played a regular-season game for the Vikings. Cleveland received the only immediate team-specific field value and earns the edge.
Cleveland Browns Received
- player Mike Bundra
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 1965 fourth round pick (#55-Jim Harris)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Minnesota sent defensive tackle Mike Bundra to Cleveland on October 5, 1964, for the Browns' 1965 fourth-round draft choice. Minnesota's official draft history identifies the acquired selection as No. 55 Jim Harris, and Bundra's transaction record carries the October 5 move to Cleveland. The package is therefore clear: Cleveland received the veteran lineman, while Minnesota received the draft asset that became Harris.
What Cleveland Browns Got
Bundra joined Cleveland during the 1964 season and appeared in nine regular-season games. He was not a long-term starter or cornerstone, but he gave the Browns usable defensive-line depth during a season that ended with Cleveland winning the NFL championship. His tenure with the club lasted only that stretch, so the value should not be overstated. Still, the Browns put the acquired player on the field immediately.
What Minnesota Vikings Got
Minnesota used the fourth-round choice on Harris, a Utah State defensive tackle. Harris also went No. 52 to the New York Jets in the AFL draft and chose the Jets. Pro Football Archives credits him with 42 games and 40 starts for New York from 1965 through 1967, but none for Minnesota. The Vikings later brought him into camp in 1969, yet he did not produce a Minnesota regular-season appearance from the asset acquired in this trade.
Final Verdict
Cleveland Browns Win fits the realized team value. The Browns received nine games from Bundra, while Minnesota's acquired draft choice produced no Vikings regular-season service. Cleveland earns a C+ because Bundra was useful depth rather than a major contributor. Minnesota falls to a C- because the pick identified a legitimate professional player but did not secure his services. It is a small Cleveland win driven by availability, not by a dramatic talent disparity.