Dallas acquired Hugh Pitts' NFL rights from the Rams for…
Dallas acquired Hugh Pitts' NFL rights from the Rams for guard Al Barry in July 1960, but the exchange produced no regular-season value for either receiving club. Pitts had already signed with the AFL's Houston Oilers and never played for Dallas. Barry likewise never appeared in a Rams regular-season game after the deal. With both acquired assets yielding zero games, the trade grades D-minus on both sides and finishes even.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- player Hugh Pitts
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Al Barry
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On July 7, 1960, the Rams sent Hugh Pitts' NFL rights to the expansion Dallas Cowboys for guard Al Barry. The wording matters: Pitts had already signed with the AFL's Houston Oilers, so Dallas was acquiring his NFL rights rather than an active player ready to report. Barry was a veteran lineman whom Dallas had obtained during its roster-building process.
Dallas Cowboys Return
Dallas received Pitts' NFL rights, but those rights never became on-field value. Pitts played the 1960 season for Houston instead, appearing in the Oilers' inaugural AFL campaign and helping that club win the league championship. He never played a regular-season game for the Cowboys. His Houston production cannot be credited to Dallas simply because Dallas held his NFL rights.
Los Angeles Rams Return
The Rams received Barry, but his Los Angeles tenure was even shorter. Barry did not record a regular-season appearance for the Rams after the transaction. He was released before the season and later appeared for the Los Angeles Chargers of the AFL. As with Pitts, production for a different league and franchise is irrelevant to the receiving team's return.
Value in Hindsight
This is a clean zero-versus-zero outcome. Both clubs acquired something real at the time: Dallas gained rights to a veteran center-linebacker, while Los Angeles gained an experienced guard. Neither asset produced a regular-season snap for the club that acquired it. There is no draft capital or downstream consideration to rescue either side.
Final Verdict
The trade is an Even Trade with D-minus grades for Dallas and the Rams. The low grades reflect realized value, not the legitimacy of the transaction. Pitts never played for Dallas, Barry never played for the Rams, and later service elsewhere belongs to those other teams rather than to this exchange.