Baltimore traded defensive back Jim Dillard to Minnesota in…
Baltimore traded defensive back Jim Dillard to Minnesota in June 1969 for a 1970 sixth-round draft choice. Colts historical material supports the round-level compensation, while the exact selection should not be overstated. Dillard joined a Vikings team that would reach Super Bowl IV, but his Minnesota tenure was brief, and the Colts' later pick outcome is not securely traceable.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1970 6th-round draft choice (exact selection not identified)
Minnesota Vikings Received
- player Jim Dillard
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Baltimore sent defensive back Jim Dillard to Minnesota in June 1969 for a 1970 sixth-round draft choice. Colts historical material supports the player movement and round of the future selection. Surviving sources are less tidy about every downstream detail, so the exchange should be stated at the supported level: Dillard for a 1970 sixth-round choice, without attaching an unverified later player.
Minnesota Vikings Return
Minnesota was assembling the roster that would dominate the 1969 regular season and reach Super Bowl IV. Dillard gave the Vikings an experienced defensive back and another option for depth and special-teams work. He did not become a long-term Minnesota cornerstone, so the value lies more in short-term roster utility than in a major individual statistical legacy.
Baltimore Colts Return
Baltimore received a future sixth-round pick for a player it was prepared to move. That was legitimate value and gave the Colts another draft asset, but the exact selection is not established here with enough confidence to credit Baltimore for a specific player's career. The return therefore remains useful but modest rather than a hidden windfall.
Value in Hindsight
Context helps explain why both clubs could like the deal. Minnesota was chasing immediate contention and could justify spending a mid-to-late-round future choice for veteran depth. Baltimore preferred future capital. Because Dillard's Minnesota stay was short and the later draft result is not securely linked, the actual hindsight separation remains small despite the Vikings' exceptional 1969 team success.
Final Verdict
Both teams receive C+ grades and an Even Trade verdict. Minnesota obtained useful veteran depth for a championship-caliber roster, while Baltimore recovered a sixth-round choice. Neither the player's Minnesota tenure nor the unidentified downstream selection creates enough proven value to separate the clubs sharply, so the exchange lands near the middle.