Denver acquired Jacky Lee's services from Houston on a…
Denver acquired Jacky Lee's services from Houston on a two-year loan on August 14, 1964, sending All-AFL defensive tackle Bud McFadin and its 1965 first-round pick to the Oilers. That choice became the No. 2 selection, later traded to the Jets and used on Joe Namath. Lee started 11 games for Denver in 1964 but only one in 1965 before returning to Houston. The price overwhelms the temporary quarterback value.
Denver Broncos Received
- other two-year loan of Jacky Lee for the 1964 and 1965 seasons
Tennessee Titans Received
- player Bud McFadin
- pick 1965 first round pick (#2-Joe Namath, later traded to New York Jets)
Trade Analysis
What the Lend-Lease Really Was
The unusual transaction occurred on August 14, 1964. Houston did not permanently trade Jacky Lee to Denver; it loaned the quarterback's services for two seasons, after which his rights reverted to the Oilers. Denver paid a steep price for that temporary control: veteran defensive tackle Bud McFadin and the Broncos' 1965 first-round draft choice. The first-round pick belongs only on Houston's side of the package, not on both sides.
Why Denver Was So Desperate
The Broncos badly needed quarterback help, and Lee started 11 games in 1964. He threw for 1,759 yards and gave an unstable offense a credible veteran option. But the value collapsed in the second year: Lee appeared in only four games and started once in 1965. After the loan expired, he returned to Houston. Denver therefore paid premium permanent assets for a short, uneven stopgap.
How Houston Multiplied the Return
McFadin immediately started all 14 games for Houston in 1964, providing veteran line play. The first-rounder became the second selection in the 1965 AFL draft because Denver finished with the league's worst record. Houston later sent that pick to the Jets in the Jerry Rhome rights trade, and New York used it on Joe Namath. The Oilers did not ultimately draft Namath themselves, but the pick's premium position was a direct product of this transaction.
Final Verdict
Houston earns an A+ because it received an All-AFL lineman plus a top-two draft asset while retaining Lee's long-term rights. Denver gets a D: Lee gave the Broncos one season of substantial playing time, so the return was not literally zero, but the two-year loan was far too temporary for the price. Correcting the date and removing the duplicated first-round pick makes the imbalance unmistakable.