The Giants received Washington's 1983 twelfth-round pick and…
The Giants received Washington's 1983 twelfth-round pick and used No. 335 on John Tuggle. Tuggle made the 1983 roster, appeared in all 16 games and started five, giving New York real value from the final pick of that draft. His career was tragically cut short by illness, but the contribution he did make supports a C+ and the Giants win.
New York Giants Received
- pick 1983 twelfth round pick (#335-John Tuggle)
Washington Commanders Received
- player Kevin Turner
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The Giants sent Kevin Turner to Washington on August 31, 1981 in exchange for a 1983 twelfth-round draft pick. That late selection eventually became No. 335, the final pick of the 1983 draft, which New York used on John Tuggle. The deal was tiny in acquisition cost, but the pick's eventual outcome gives the trade a clear hindsight shape because Tuggle made the roster and contributed.
New York Giants Return
Tuggle turned an extremely late draft asset into genuine NFL service. He appeared in all 16 games for the Giants in 1983 and started five. That is a successful outcome for a twelfth-round selection, especially one taken at the very end of the draft. His career was tragically shortened by illness, so the grade should reflect what he actually contributed rather than speculate about what might have happened.
Washington Commanders Return
Washington received Turner but did not realize comparable football value. His contribution was limited, and the move did not create the kind of lasting role that would offset New York's successful use of the draft choice. Because the original cost was so small, the Commanders' grade does not need to be catastrophic. It does, however, belong below the Giants' mark.
Value in Hindsight
The striking part of this trade is not that New York found a star with the final pick, but that the Giants turned almost the lowest possible draft capital into a player who immediately made the roster, played every game and started several times. Washington did not receive an equivalent return from Turner. That makes the value difference meaningful despite the transaction's small scale.
Final Verdict
New York Giants Win. The Giants earn a C+ for converting a twelfth-round pick into real game and starting value. Washington receives a D+ because Turner's return was more limited.