Dallas sent Gloster Richardson to Oakland on July 31, 1972…
Dallas sent Gloster Richardson to Oakland on July 31, 1972 for a 1974 fourth-round pick that became Ken Hutcherson. Richardson never played a regular-season game for the Raiders, but Oakland moved him to Cleveland six weeks later for another fourth-round pick, No. 93, eventually used on Morris Bradshaw. Bradshaw became a long-term Raider, while Hutcherson played one season in Dallas, giving Oakland the stronger chain.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- pick 1974 fourth round pick (#97-Ken Hutcherson)
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- player Gloster Richardson
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Dallas traded wide receiver Gloster Richardson to Oakland on July 31, 1972 for the Cowboys’ 1974 fourth-round selection, pick No. 97. Dallas eventually used that choice on linebacker Ken Hutcherson. Richardson never became an Oakland regular-season player because the Raiders moved him again on September 11, sending him to Cleveland for the Browns’ 1974 fourth-round selection, pick No. 93. That second step is central to the hindsight result.
What Dallas Received
Hutcherson played all 14 games for Dallas as a rookie in 1974 but did not start. Pro Football Archives records one sack during his Cowboys season. He moved on in 1975 and never became a long-term Dallas contributor. The Cowboys therefore received legitimate roster value from the original fourth-round pick, but it amounted to one season of reserve work rather than a durable piece.
What Oakland Received
Oakland’s direct asset, Richardson, was essentially a bridge to a better downstream return. Pro Sports Transactions shows the Raiders receiving pick No. 93 from Cleveland for him. Oakland used that selection on Morris Bradshaw. NFL records show Bradshaw playing for the Raiders from 1974 through 1981, appearing in 104 games for the club and developing into a starter later in the decade. He produced more than 1,300 receiving yards as a Raider and contributed to championship teams.
Final Verdict
Oakland wins because it converted Richardson into a long-term contributor while Dallas received only one reserve season from Hutcherson. The Raiders deserve credit for the documented asset chain rather than for Richardson’s nonexistent Oakland playing time. A B+ for Oakland and C for Dallas reflects substantial downstream value on one side against a modest but real direct return on the other.