Minnesota sent former Defensive Player of the Year Keith…
Minnesota sent former Defensive Player of the Year Keith Millard to Seattle and received the 39th pick in 1992 plus a 1993 third-rounder. The Vikings used those selections on Robert Harris and John Gerak. Millard appeared in only two games for Seattle, while Minnesota converted the return into two players who supplied multiple seasons of roster value.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 1992 second round pick (#39-Robert Harris)
- pick 1993 third round pick (#57-John Gerak)
Seattle Seahawks Received
- player Keith Millard
Trade Analysis
Keith Millard's peak made Seattle's gamble understandable. He had been one of the NFL's most disruptive defensive tackles in Minnesota and had won Defensive Player of the Year honors before knee trouble altered his career. Seattle was betting that a change of scenery could restore enough of that form to justify sending Minnesota a second-round selection in 1992 and a third-rounder in 1993.
The comeback never materialized for the Seahawks. Millard played only two games for Seattle and recorded one sack before the relationship ended. That left the Seahawks with almost no on-field return from a deal that cost two meaningful draft choices. The Vikings did not turn those selections into stars, but they did convert them into considerably more football. Robert Harris, selected 39th in 1992, developed into a useful defensive lineman with a 27-sack NFL career. John Gerak, chosen with the 1993 third-rounder, played 63 career games and started 35 as an offensive lineman.
Minnesota's advantage comes from the combination of timing and asset conversion. The Vikings moved a celebrated player after injuries had reduced the likelihood of another elite run, then received two chances in the first three rounds. Seattle assumed the medical and performance risk and got only a two-game return. Harris and Gerak did not need to become Pro Bowlers for the trade to work for Minnesota; ordinary multi-year contributions were already enough to overwhelm Seattle's result. The Vikings deserve a strong grade for extracting real draft value at the right moment, while the Seahawks receive a low mark for a high-upside bet that quickly failed.