Philadelphia turned Ben Hawkins into immediate defensive-line…
Philadelphia turned Ben Hawkins into immediate defensive-line help, acquiring Joe Jones and receiving a 14-game season with 13 starts, 6.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries in 1974. Cleveland's return was much smaller: Hawkins appeared in only two Browns games and recorded no receiving production. That concrete gap moves the verdict decisively to Philadelphia, B-plus to D.
Cleveland Browns Received
- player Ben Hawkins
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- player Joe Jones (Willie)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On September 5, 1974, Cleveland sent defensive end Joe Jones to Philadelphia for veteran receiver Ben Hawkins. The transaction record is clean and one-for-one, so the hindsight question is straightforward: what did each player actually contribute after changing teams?
Cleveland Browns Return
Cleveland received Hawkins after a long and productive Eagles career, but the Browns did not receive that earlier production. NFL career statistics show Hawkins appearing in only two games for Cleveland in 1974, with no receptions or receiving yards. His best seasons — including the 1,265-yard campaign in Philadelphia in 1967 — were already behind him. For Cleveland, the acquired asset produced essentially no measurable offensive return.
Philadelphia Eagles Return
Philadelphia received Jones and immediately put him into the starting lineup. He played all 14 games for the 1974 Eagles and started 13 at right defensive end. Pro Football Reference credits him with 6.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries that season, along with an approximate value of eight. Jones remained with Philadelphia for part of 1975 before returning to Cleveland, but the first season alone gave the Eagles a substantial, concrete payoff.
Value in Hindsight
The contrast is unusually clean for a veteran-for-veteran trade. Cleveland acquired the more accomplished receiver based on his prior résumé, yet almost none of that value carried into his Browns tenure. Philadelphia acquired a defensive lineman who became a near-full-time starter immediately. The grade should follow those post-trade results rather than the reputations each player brought into the transaction.
Final Verdict
Philadelphia wins the trade. The Eagles receive a B-plus for obtaining a productive 13-start defensive end season, while Cleveland receives a D because Hawkins contributed only two games without recorded receiving production. The verdict is based on direct receiving-team outcomes, not on what either player had done before the exchange.