Atlanta received Haskel Stanback and Tom DeLeone for the…
Atlanta received Haskel Stanback and Tom DeLeone for the future third-round choice that Cincinnati used at No. 55 on Gary Burley. Stanback became a meaningful Falcons back, playing 83 games, starting 50 and rushing for 2,662 yards with 25 rushing touchdowns from 1974 through 1979. Burley also became durable value for Cincinnati, spending eight seasons with the Bengals and starting regularly on the defensive line before finishing his career in Atlanta. The realized value on both sides makes an even verdict the fairest result.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Haskel Stanback
- player Tom DeLeone
Cincinnati Bengals Received
- pick 1975 third round pick (#55-Gary Burley)
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Atlanta received Haskel Stanback and Tom DeLeone for the future third-round choice that Cincinnati used at No. 55 on Gary Burley. The exchange fit a common 1970s roster calculation: one club preferred an established player or immediate help, while the other accepted draft capital or a different asset path. The important hindsight question is not the nominal round alone, but what each team actually received once the move played out.
What Atlanta Falcons Received
Stanback became a meaningful Falcons back, playing 83 games, starting 50 and rushing for 2,662 yards with 25 rushing touchdowns from 1974 through 1979. For Atlanta Falcons, that outcome is the main measure of the return. Immediate playing time matters, but so do durability, starts, scoring, and whether the acquired asset remained useful beyond a short stop. The result gives Atlanta Falcons a B because the club's realized contribution must be judged against what it surrendered.
What Cincinnati Bengals Received
Burley also became durable value for Cincinnati, spending eight seasons with the Bengals and starting regularly on the defensive line before finishing his career in Atlanta. That gives Cincinnati Bengals a different value profile from the other side. A draft choice only becomes valuable when it turns into useful football production, while a veteran's value depends on how much he actually contributes after the trade. On that basis, Cincinnati Bengals earns a B.
Why the Verdict Lands Here
Tom DeLeone did not become a lasting Falcons contributor, so the comparison is essentially Stanback's productive run against Burley's long Cincinnati tenure. The comparison therefore rests on direct, realized NFL value rather than the theoretical price of the assets on the day of the deal. Longevity and meaningful contribution carry more weight than a pick number by itself, and a short stay can still matter when the opposing return produces even less.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Atlanta Falcons receives a B, while Cincinnati Bengals receives a B. The grades reflect the confirmed package and the football contribution that followed for each franchise.