St. Louis Cardinals received Don Owens in the exchange with…
St. Louis Cardinals received Don Owens in the exchange with Philadelphia Eagles. Don Owens became a four-season St. Louis defensive-line starter, giving the Cardinals a substantial and durable return from the veteran side. Against Philadelphia Eagles' return of high draft pick (probably 1961 #36-Jim Wright), that outcome supports a B+ grade. The transaction is judged as St. Louis Cardinals Win, with the mark based on the football value that actually followed from the deal.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Don Owens
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- pick high draft pick (probably 1961 #36-Jim Wright)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles completed this transaction on 1960-10-11. St. Louis Cardinals received Don Owens, while Philadelphia Eagles received high draft pick (probably 1961 #36-Jim Wright). The historical record supports the core package, so the fairest comparison is the football value each side actually realized after the exchange.
St. Louis Cardinals Return
Don Owens became a four-season St. Louis defensive-line starter, giving the Cardinals a substantial and durable return from the veteran side. That outcome supports the B+ grade assigned to St. Louis Cardinals. The mark gives credit for value traceable to this deal, including playing time, starts, meaningful role performance, or the verified downstream use of a draft choice. It stays proportional to the size of the transaction instead of treating every acquired asset as equally valuable.
Philadelphia Eagles Return
Philadelphia received a high draft choice, probably No. 36 Jim Wright, but the likely downstream result did not match Owens' Cardinals contribution. That outcome supports the C- grade assigned to Philadelphia Eagles. The same standard applies here: realized production and verifiable downstream use matter more than the nominal label attached to the asset. That keeps the comparison focused on what the club actually received rather than hypothetical value that never became part of the return.
Value in Hindsight
Don Owens became a four-season St. Louis defensive-line starter, giving the Cardinals a substantial and durable return from the veteran side. Philadelphia received a high draft choice, probably No. 36 Jim Wright, but the likely downstream result did not match Owens' Cardinals contribution. Taken together, those outcomes explain the grade spread. A useful veteran can outweigh a low draft choice when the pick produces little, while a draft asset can win the comparison when it becomes a productive player or creates meaningful value in a later move. The margin here is scaled to the actual difference in team return rather than the reputation of the names involved.
Final Verdict
St. Louis Cardinals Win. St. Louis Cardinals receives a B+, while Philadelphia Eagles receives a C-. The grades reflect the documented exchange and the value that followed from it, with the final margin tied to the importance and longevity of the returns.