Minnesota acquired veteran defensive back Gary Lowe from…
Minnesota acquired veteran defensive back Gary Lowe from Detroit for its 1966 10th-round selection, which the Lions used on No. 148 Bruce Yates. Minnesota's official draft history confirms that choice was sent to Detroit for Lowe. Lowe's NFL playing record ends with Detroit in 1964, and Yates never appeared in an NFL regular-season game, leaving both clubs without measurable post-trade field production and supporting an even result.
Detroit Lions Received
- pick 1966 tenth round pick (#148-Bruce Yates)
Minnesota Vikings Received
- player Gary Lowe
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Minnesota obtained veteran defensive back Gary Lowe from Detroit on June 8, 1965, sending the Lions a 1966 10th-round draft choice. The Vikings' official draft history says their 10th-round selection was traded to Detroit for Lowe, and the draft record identifies the pick as No. 148 Bruce Yates. The exchange is therefore traceable on both sides even though neither acquired asset ultimately produced regular-season value for its new club.
What Minnesota Vikings Got
Lowe had been a useful Detroit defender for years, appearing in 85 games for the Lions from 1957 through 1964. His final Detroit season included 13 games. But his NFL playing record ends in 1964 and does not show a regular-season appearance for Minnesota after the trade. The Vikings acquired an experienced name, yet in hindsight the transaction did not yield measurable NFL regular-season production on their roster.
What Detroit Lions Got
Detroit used Minnesota's 10th-round choice on Bruce Yates, a tackle from Auburn, with the 148th overall selection in the 1966 draft. Pro Football Reference lists Yates in the Lions' draft class but credits him with no NFL regular-season games. Detroit therefore did not convert the late-round asset into field production. Given the low draft cost, this was a minor miss rather than a significant setback.
Final Verdict
Even Trade remains appropriate. Minnesota did not receive a regular-season contribution from Lowe after acquiring him, and Detroit's draft return did not produce an NFL regular-season appearance. There is no meaningful value gap to reward either organization. Both teams receive C grades because the deal was real and the compensation was identifiable, but neither side turned the acquired asset into usable regular-season performance. In historical terms, it is a wash: Detroit moved on from a veteran at the end of his playing career, while Minnesota surrendered a late pick that also failed to generate NFL production.