New Orleans received veteran defensive back Jim Kearney. He…
New Orleans received veteran defensive back Jim Kearney. He played all 14 games for the Saints in 1976 and made two starts, giving New Orleans immediate, documented regular-season value from the exchange. That result supports a B- grade within the New Orleans Saints Win verdict.
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Jim Kearney
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- player Johnny Fuller
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1976-06-16, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed an exchange in which New Orleans Saints received Jim Kearney, while Tampa Bay Buccaneers received Johnny Fuller. Both sides obtained identifiable football value, so the hindsight comparison turns on what those pieces actually produced after the move rather than on the number of names or selections in the package. The later careers and roster roles provide the clearest way to separate the returns.
New Orleans Saints Return
New Orleans received veteran defensive back Jim Kearney. He played all 14 games for the Saints in 1976 and made two starts, giving New Orleans immediate, documented regular-season value from the exchange. That result supports a B- grade within the New Orleans Saints Win verdict. The grade reflects realized contribution, role, and duration rather than the apparent size of the package on the transaction date.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Return
Tampa Bay received safety Johnny Fuller. Fuller did not provide the Buccaneers with a comparable regular-season return, so the deal left the expansion club with less realized value despite acquiring a player at the same position group. That result supports a D+ grade within the New Orleans Saints Win verdict. The comparison gives weight to actual professional contribution and does not treat a larger asset count as automatically more valuable.
Value in Hindsight
The difference is not enormous, but Kearney's full-season participation gives New Orleans a concrete advantage. In a small player-for-player move, dependable availability and actual starts are enough to separate two otherwise modest returns. Looking back at the completed careers and downstream outcomes makes the relative value clearer than it was on the day of the exchange.
Final Verdict
New Orleans wins with a B-. Tampa Bay receives a D+ because Fuller's return did not match Kearney's immediate season of contribution. The grades are intentionally scaled to the modest size of the transaction and the strength of the documented on-field return.