Atlanta acquired wide receiver Jessie Hester from the Raiders…
Atlanta acquired wide receiver Jessie Hester from the Raiders on August 22, 1988 for a 1989 choice described at the time as a fourth- or fifth-rounder. The selection ultimately resolved to No. 119, Willis Crockett. Hester offered Atlanta veteran receiving depth, but his Falcons tenure was brief, while the Raiders preserved a useful middle-round asset. That gives Oakland the modest hindsight edge.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Jessie Hester
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- pick 1989 fourth or fifth round pick (#119-Willis Crockett)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Atlanta acquired wide receiver Jessie Hester from the Raiders in August 1988. Contemporary reporting described the compensation as a 1989 fourth- or fifth-round choice, reflecting a condition attached to the deal. The selection ultimately resolved to No. 119, where the Raiders chose linebacker Willis Crockett. The trade therefore became a veteran receiver for a middle-round draft asset.
Atlanta Falcons Return
Atlanta acquired wide receiver Jessie Hester from the Raiders on August 22, 1988 for a 1989 choice described at the time as a fourth- or fifth-rounder. The selection ultimately resolved to No. 119, Willis Crockett. Hester offered Atlanta veteran receiving depth, but his Falcons tenure was brief, while the Raiders preserved a useful middle-round asset. That gives Oakland the modest hindsight edge.
Oakland Raiders Return
The Raiders moved Jessie Hester to Atlanta and received a conditional 1989 draft choice that ultimately became No. 119, Willis Crockett. Oakland turned a receiver it was prepared to move into middle-round capital without giving up another asset. Hester supplied Atlanta with an experienced target but did not become a lasting piece there. The Raiders' ability to recapture draft value makes their side slightly better.
Value in Hindsight
The conditional wording matters because it shows the clubs were already calibrating the price to Hester's future value. Atlanta did not surrender a premium pick, but it did pay more than a late-round flyer for a receiver whose stay was short. Oakland's return was also modest, yet the Raiders turned a movable veteran into a cleaner long-term asset and avoided losing him for nothing.
Final Verdict
The Raiders earn a C+ and Atlanta a C. Hester was a reasonable veteran addition and the Falcons did not make a disastrous investment, but the trade did not generate enough sustained production to justify giving up the realized No. 119 choice. Oakland's modest recovery of middle-round capital makes it the slightly stronger side.