NFL Trade Verdict

Buffalo acquired safety Leonard Smith from Phoenix in…

Buffalo acquired safety Leonard Smith from Phoenix in September 1988 for cornerback Roland Mitchell and a 1989 sixth-round pick. Smith became an immediate starter and played 60 games with 59 starts over four Bills seasons, recording eight interceptions while helping anchor the secondary during Buffalo's rise to four straight Super Bowls.

September 20, 1988 Arizona Cardinals - Buffalo Bills View complete team-to-team trade history Record confidence: High

Arizona Cardinals Received

Buffalo Bills Received

Arizona Cardinals

B

Buffalo Bills

A-

Trade Analysis

The Exchange

Buffalo's 1989 and 1991 media guides identify the full package: Leonard Smith came from Phoenix in September 1988 for cornerback Roland Mitchell and a 1989 sixth-round pick. The guides also explain that Phoenix had originally sent that sixth-rounder to Buffalo earlier in 1988 for Sean McNanie. The returned pick became No. 150 in the 1989 draft, where Phoenix selected defensive back Jay Taylor.

Buffalo Return

Smith immediately became one of Buffalo's core defensive backs. NFL and Pro Football Reference records credit him with 13 games and 12 starts after the 1988 trade, followed by 15 starts in 1989 and all 16 starts in both 1990 and 1991. Across four Bills seasons he played 60 games, started 59 and intercepted eight passes. Buffalo's own media guide notes that Smith led the team in tackles in 1989 and remained a major hitter in the secondary during the club's championship-era run.

Phoenix Return: Roland Mitchell

Mitchell did not become a long-term answer. Pro Football Reference credits him with 14 Cardinals games and two starts across the remainder of 1988 and the beginning of 1989. Phoenix released him in September 1989, limiting that part of the return to roughly one season of reserve cornerback value.

Phoenix Return: Jay Taylor

The sixth-round choice produced the more durable Cardinals asset. Phoenix selected Jay Taylor at No. 150, and NFL records show him playing all 16 games in each of 1989, 1990 and 1991 with 19 total starts over those three seasons. He intercepted three passes in 1990 and supplied useful secondary depth before later continuing his career in Kansas City.

Hindsight Comparison

Phoenix received real value from Taylor plus a short Mitchell stint, so this was not a poor Cardinals trade. Smith, however, gave Buffalo nearly four full seasons as a starter, eight interceptions and a much larger role on a contender. His 59 Bills starts alone far exceed the combined starting return Phoenix received from Mitchell and Taylor.

Final Verdict

Buffalo Bills Win. An A- reflects four seasons of near-every-down starting safety play during the franchise's championship window. Phoenix receives a B because Taylor became a useful multi-year defensive back and Mitchell added short-term depth, but the package did not match Smith's sustained impact.

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