Philadelphia received defensive back Willie Germany for…
Philadelphia received defensive back Willie Germany for center Mike Evans, but neither acquisition turned into regular-season NFL value for the new club. Germany does not appear in Philadelphia's 1974 NFL record, while Evans' NFL career ends with the Eagles in 1973 despite Detroit listing him as an offseason acquisition. With both returns producing zero regular-season games, this is an even D-minus result.
Detroit Lions Received
- player (William) Mike Evans
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- player Willie Germany
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Philadelphia and Detroit swapped Willie Germany and Mike Evans in early 1974. Pro Sports Transactions lists the deal on January 29, while a later Lions trade-history listing uses January 31, so the existing January 29 field is preserved rather than pretending the date conflict is settled. The package itself is clear: Germany went to the Eagles and Evans went to the Lions.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit received Evans, an experienced center who had started extensively in Philadelphia and was described in Detroit's 1974 media guide as arriving in the Germany swap. That makes the acquisition real, but the hindsight value is stark. Pro Football Reference shows Evans' six NFL seasons ending with Philadelphia in 1973. He did not log a Detroit regular-season game. Detroit therefore gets no realized on-field return from the player it acquired.
Philadelphia Eagles Return
Philadelphia received Germany, who had played six games for Detroit in 1973. His NFL career record then skips the 1974 season entirely before he resurfaced with Houston in 1975. There is no Eagles regular-season line to credit. Whatever preseason or roster opportunity Philadelphia obtained, it did not become NFL regular-season production.
Value in Hindsight
This is a useful example of why name recognition cannot substitute for receiving-team results. Evans had been a legitimate NFL starter before the trade, and Germany later became a starter in Houston, but neither fact belongs in the acquiring club's return here. Detroit cannot claim Evans' Eagles career, and Philadelphia cannot claim Germany's later Oilers production.
Final Verdict
The deal finishes as an Even Trade with D-minus grades for both teams. Each club acquired a real player, but neither player produced an NFL regular-season appearance for the team that received him. The low grades reflect the absence of realized football value, not uncertainty about whether the swap occurred.