Miami acquired offensive lineman Lance Olssen from San…
Miami acquired offensive lineman Lance Olssen from San Francisco for defensive back Tom Beier in May 1970. Olssen was released without appearing in a Dolphins regular-season game, while Beier likewise failed to make a regular-season appearance for the 49ers. Both players continued to have football transactions afterward, but neither produced NFL value for the club that acquired him in this exchange. With no realized return on either side, the trade is even.
Miami Dolphins Received
- player Lance Olssen
San Francisco 49ers Received
- player Tom Beier
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Miami and San Francisco exchanged veterans in the spring of 1970, with the Dolphins receiving offensive lineman Lance Olssen and the 49ers receiving defensive back Tom Beier. Team historical records list the deal on May 1. Beier’s transaction log records his move to San Francisco a day earlier, while Olssen’s log records May 1, but the exchanged players themselves are consistent across the sources. No draft picks were involved.
What Miami Received
Olssen had been a third-round selection by San Francisco in 1968 and appeared in nine NFL games across his first two seasons. Miami acquired him as offensive-line depth, but he did not play a regular-season game for the Dolphins. Transaction records show that Miami released him after the trade. Olssen later continued his professional career in Canada, but that later production did not benefit the Dolphins and should not be credited to this transaction.
What San Francisco Received
Beier brought more NFL experience into the swap. He had appeared in 28 games for Miami over the 1967 and 1969 seasons, including seven starts in 1969. San Francisco nevertheless received no regular-season production from him. His transaction history shows the move to the 49ers followed by his release, and his NFL playing record ends with Miami in 1969. The 49ers therefore did not turn their incoming veteran into usable regular-season depth.
Final Verdict
The deal produced no measurable NFL playing return for either acquiring club. Miami received Olssen but no regular-season appearances; San Francisco received Beier with the same result. Because there was no draft compensation to preserve future value, neither team has a secondary asset that changes the assessment. An Even Trade with C grades is the appropriate outcome: both clubs made a plausible depth swap, but neither side realized meaningful football value afterward.