Denver Broncos received Jim Turner (Bayard) in the exchange…
Denver Broncos received Jim Turner (Bayard) in the exchange with New York Jets. Jim Turner became Denver's long-term kicker, played nine seasons for the club, scored 742 points, took part in the franchise's first playoff and Super Bowl run, and later entered the Broncos Ring of Fame. Against New York Jets' return of Bob Howfield / Bobby Howfield, that result supports a A+ grade. The transaction is judged as Denver Broncos Win, with the mark based on the football value that actually followed from the deal.
Denver Broncos Received
- player Jim Turner (Bayard)
New York Jets Received
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Denver Broncos and New York Jets completed this transaction on 1971-01-27. Denver Broncos received Jim Turner (Bayard), while New York Jets received Bob Howfield / Bobby Howfield. Historical records support the core package, so the fairest comparison is the football value each asset actually produced after the exchange.
Denver Broncos Return
Jim Turner became Denver's long-term kicker, played nine seasons for the club, scored 742 points, took part in the franchise's first playoff and Super Bowl run, and later entered the Broncos Ring of Fame. That outcome supports the A+ grade assigned to Denver Broncos. The mark credits value traceable to this deal, including playing time, starts, special-teams work, or the downstream use of a draft choice. It stays proportional to the size of the transaction rather than treating every acquired asset as equally important.
New York Jets Return
Bobby Howfield was the Jets' return, but his value did not approach Turner's long Denver tenure or the franchise significance Turner ultimately achieved. That outcome supports the D grade assigned to New York Jets. The same standard applies here: the asset is judged by its realized NFL contribution, not by hypothetical upside that never became part of the return. That keeps the comparison focused on what the club actually received.
Value in Hindsight
Jim Turner became Denver's long-term kicker, played nine seasons for the club, scored 742 points, took part in the franchise's first playoff and Super Bowl run, and later entered the Broncos Ring of Fame. Bobby Howfield was the Jets' return, but his value did not approach Turner's long Denver tenure or the franchise significance Turner ultimately achieved. Together, those outcomes explain the grade spread. Useful short-term contribution still matters, but a longer or more productive return deserves the stronger mark. When both sides generated little value, the grades stay close; when the production gap was substantial, the verdict follows that separation.
Final Verdict
Denver Broncos Win. Denver Broncos receives a A+, while New York Jets receives a D. The grades reflect the documented exchange and the value that followed from it, with the margin scaled to the actual importance and longevity of the returns.