Tampa Bay Buccaneers received Anthony Washington, while…
Tampa Bay Buccaneers received Anthony Washington, while Washington Commanders received Kelly Thomas. Tampa Bay and Washington evidence supports the August 2, 1985 swap of tackle Kelly Thomas for defensive back Anthony Washington. That return earns a C- grade for Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the overall verdict is Even Trade.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- player Anthony Washington
Washington Commanders Received
- player Kelly Thomas
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1985-08-02, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Commanders completed a deal in which Tampa Bay Buccaneers received Anthony Washington, while Washington Commanders received Kelly Thomas. The exchange was modest in scale, but it still created a direct comparison between the service one club obtained and the player or draft value returned to the other. The supported package provides a clear basis for judging both sides.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Return
Tampa Bay Buccaneers came away with Anthony Washington. That side receives a C-. The grade reflects direct service for the acquiring club and, where a selection was involved, the identifiable value produced by that choice. A useful role in a smaller transaction deserves credit, but the evaluation stays proportional to the size of the deal and the length of the contribution.
Washington Commanders Return
Washington Commanders received Kelly Thomas, which earns a C-. The same standard applies here: actual playing time, starting value, or a productive draft result counts more than theoretical value that never reached the field. A short stay or a late selection can still help, but it does not receive outsized credit simply because the exchange is easy to trace decades later.
Value in Hindsight
Tampa Bay and Washington evidence supports the August 2, 1985 swap of tackle Kelly Thomas for defensive back Anthony Washington. Both acquisitions were released before the regular season, so neither club realized meaningful on-field return. Hindsight therefore favors the return that produced the stronger supported value for the original club. Later movement of a player or selection can explain what the consideration became, but unrelated success after another transaction is not credited twice. Where historical sources differ on a minor detail, the comparison uses the strongest supported description without inventing information that the record does not establish.
Final Verdict
The final call is Even Trade. Tampa Bay Buccaneers receives C-, while Washington Commanders receives C-. The result follows the stronger direct return supported by the transaction history and the players or selections that actually reached the field. The grades are measured for the scale of the trade, separating a useful edge from a truly lopsided outcome.