Buffalo Bills received Larry Watkins in the 1973-08-16…
Buffalo Bills received Larry Watkins in the 1973-08-16 exchange with Philadelphia Eagles. Watkins immediately played all fourteen games with nine starts, rushed for 414 yards, added receiving value, scored three total touchdowns, and remained with Buffalo in 1974. Against Philadelphia Eagles's return of Dick Cunningham, that outcome supports a B grade. The transaction is judged Buffalo Bills Win, with the mark tied to the football value that actually followed from the deal.
Buffalo Bills Received
- player Larry Watkins
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- player Dick Cunningham
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles completed this transaction on 1973-08-16. Buffalo Bills received Larry Watkins, while Philadelphia Eagles received Dick Cunningham. The terms are evaluated from the value each club actually realized after the exchange, including documented playing time and any downstream use of an acquired draft choice. That keeps the comparison focused on the transaction itself rather than on hypothetical value.
Buffalo Bills Return
Buffalo Bills received Larry Watkins in the 1973-08-16 exchange with Philadelphia Eagles. Watkins immediately played all fourteen games with nine starts, rushed for 414 yards, added receiving value, scored three total touchdowns, and remained with Buffalo in 1974. Against Philadelphia Eagles's return of Dick Cunningham, that outcome supports a B grade. The transaction is judged Buffalo Bills Win, with the mark tied to the football value that actually followed from the deal.
Philadelphia Eagles Return
Philadelphia Eagles received Dick Cunningham in the 1973-08-16 exchange with Buffalo Bills. Cunningham supplied Philadelphia much less service than Watkins gave Buffalo, leaving the Eagles clearly behind in realized value. Against Buffalo Bills's return of Larry Watkins, that outcome supports a C- grade. The transaction is judged Buffalo Bills Win, with the mark tied to the football value that actually followed from the deal.
Value in Hindsight
The advantage belongs to Buffalo Bills. Its verified return produced more useful service or downstream value than Philadelphia Eagles's side, while the grade spread remains proportional to the modest scale of the original transaction. The comparison also avoids crediting either club for value that belonged to a later, unrelated team or for a downstream outcome that the club never actually controlled. That produces a cleaner measure of what this specific exchange delivered.
Final Verdict
Buffalo Bills Win. Buffalo Bills earns a B, while Philadelphia Eagles earns a C-. Buffalo Bills receives the better mark because its side produced the clearer realized football return. The conclusion follows the verified service and downstream value tied to each side of the transaction, with the grades scaled to the size and impact of the deal.