Buffalo acquired center Frank Marchlewski from New Orleans…
Buffalo acquired center Frank Marchlewski from New Orleans for a 1971 fourth-round pick that became Carlos Bell at No. 82. Marchlewski immediately started all 13 games he played for the Bills in 1970, giving Buffalo a full season of dependable offensive-line value. Bell reached the Saints but appeared in only one NFL game. Turning a future fourth-rounder into an immediate starting center gives Buffalo the clear advantage.
Buffalo Bills Received
- player Frank Marchlewski
New Orleans Saints Received
- pick 1971 fourth round pick (#82-Carlos Bell)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Buffalo acquired veteran center Frank Marchlewski from New Orleans on March 2, 1970, sending the Saints a fourth-round choice in the 1971 draft. Draft-trade records trace that selection to No. 82 overall, where New Orleans chose Houston tight end Carlos Bell. The exchange therefore gives a straightforward hindsight comparison: one season of an experienced offensive lineman against the career value produced by a future fourth-round pick.
What Buffalo Received
Marchlewski gave the Bills exactly the kind of immediate return a veteran-for-pick trade is supposed to provide. NFL records show him appearing in 13 games for Buffalo in 1970, and he started all 13. For an offensive lineman, that full-season starting role is meaningful realized value even without headline statistics. Buffalo did not acquire a long-term cornerstone, and Marchlewski’s NFL career ended after that season, but the Bills purchased a season of dependable starting work with a mid-round future asset.
What New Orleans Received
The Saints did successfully turn Marchlewski into draft capital. Their acquired fourth-round pick became Bell, the 82nd overall selection in 1971, a connection supported by draft transaction records and the Saints’ own draft history. The problem is what happened next. Bell appeared in only one NFL regular-season game. A fourth-round choice carries real roster-building value at the moment of acquisition, but the selection produced almost no lasting on-field return for New Orleans.
Final Verdict
Buffalo wins because the Bills received tangible starting production while the Saints’ draft conversion barely reached the field. New Orleans deserves some credit for obtaining a fourth-round asset for a veteran whose career was nearing its end, so the outcome is not a disastrous one. Still, 13 starts at center outweigh one NFL appearance from the resulting pick. A B+ for Buffalo and C- for New Orleans captures a clear, practical Bills victory.