Detroit acquired rookie defensive back Mike Bass from Green…
Detroit acquired rookie defensive back Mike Bass from Green Bay for cash, but the Lions received only two regular-season appearances and no starts in 1967. Bass later became a long-term Washington starter, yet that success cannot be credited to Detroit. Green Bay's cash amount is not established, leaving no traceable football return on that side either. The deal grades as an even D.
Detroit Lions Received
- player Mike Bass (T.)
Green Bay Packers Received
- other cash
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Green Bay dealt rookie defensive back Mike Bass to Detroit for cash before the 1967 season. Bass had been the Packers' 12th-round draft choice that year. The transaction is straightforward, but the surviving sources do not establish the cash amount, so the hindsight analysis has to stay focused on what can actually be traced.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit received Bass and gave him only a very small NFL role. Pro Football Reference and NFL career data show two games for the Lions in 1967 with no starts and no interceptions. He spent additional time outside the regular lineup before leaving the organization. Bass eventually became a durable Washington cornerback and intercepted 30 passes there, but those seven Washington seasons are not Detroit value. The Lions' return is the two-game 1967 contribution, nothing more.
Green Bay Packers Return
Green Bay received cash. Cash is real consideration, but the record used for this review does not identify the amount or show a specific football asset acquired with it. Without that connection, assigning the Packers a meaningful player or draft outcome would be speculation. Their return is therefore measurable only as an unspecified cash payment.
Value in Hindsight
The later fame of Bass creates the biggest temptation in this transaction. Green Bay did give up a player who eventually had an excellent career, but Detroit was not the team that benefited from that career. At the same time, Detroit at least received two regular-season appearances, while Green Bay's football use of the cash is unknown. Neither side produced enough verified receiving-team value to separate clearly.
Final Verdict
The trade grades as Even, D for Detroit and D for Green Bay. Bass' two Lions games were minimal, and the Packers' unspecified cash cannot be converted into an invented roster benefit. The low grades keep the judgment tied to the actual returns of the two clubs involved.