Buffalo acquired Jim Cheyunski, Halvor Hagen and Mike…
Buffalo acquired Jim Cheyunski, Halvor Hagen and Mike Montler. Cheyunski became an immediate starting linebacker and team leader, while Hagen and Montler added further veteran service. Montler in particular had a long NFL career as an offensive lineman. The combined usefulness of three incoming veterans gives Buffalo the clearly stronger direct return from this six-player exchange.
Buffalo Bills Received
- player Jim Cheyunski
- player Halvor Hagen
- player Mike Montler
New England Patriots Received
- player Edgar Chandler
- player Jeff Lyman
- player Wayne Patrick
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1973-04-19, Buffalo Bills received Jim Cheyunski; Halvor Hagen; Mike Montler, while New England Patriots received Edgar Chandler; Jeff Lyman; Wayne Patrick. This hindsight grade considers only the consideration each club controlled directly after the transaction. When an acquired selection or player later moved again, that later move is treated as provenance rather than as extra compensation. The central question is what practical football value each side ultimately created from the assets in this exchange.
Buffalo Bills Return
Buffalo acquired Jim Cheyunski, Halvor Hagen and Mike Montler. Cheyunski became an immediate starting linebacker and team leader, while Hagen and Montler added further veteran service. Montler in particular had a long NFL career as an offensive lineman. The combined usefulness of three incoming veterans gives Buffalo the clearly stronger direct return from this six-player exchange. The return is judged by usable games, starts, role value, or retained draft value that came directly from this exchange.
New England Patriots Return
New England received Edgar Chandler, Jeff Lyman and Wayne Patrick. The Patriots added three players, but their combined contribution did not match the sustained value Buffalo obtained from Jim Cheyunski, Halvor Hagen and Mike Montler. With multiple Bills acquisitions providing useful starts and tenure, New England's side of the exchange produced much less lasting football value. The same standard applies here, keeping later unrelated transactions separate from the original bargain.
Value in Hindsight
Cheyunski, Hagen and Montler collectively gave Buffalo far more established NFL service than the trio New England acquired. Cheyunski's starting role and Montler's long offensive-line career make the difference especially clear, supporting a strong Bills grade without turning the deal into a superstar transaction. Taken together, those outcomes support Buffalo Bills Win and the stated grade separation. The scale remains proportional to the size of the deal and the certainty of the evidence rather than overstating a minor transaction.
Final Verdict
Buffalo Bills receives a B+ and New England Patriots receives a D+. The verdict is Buffalo Bills Win. This conclusion reflects the direct assets, the football value each club actually realized, and the duration of that value. It does not award extra credit for later unrelated transactions involving an acquired pick or player.