Dallas acquired Mike Renfro, a 1984 second-round selection…
Dallas acquired Mike Renfro, a 1984 second-round selection and Houston's 1985 fifth-rounder for Butch Johnson and Dallas's own 1984 second-round pick. Renfro became a productive Cowboys receiver, and the future fifth was used on Herschel Walker. Houston's return did not approach that combined value, making the existing Oilers-win reading backwards in hindsight.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- player Mike Renfro
- pick 1984 second round pick (#40-Victor Scott)
- pick 1985 fifth round pick (#114-Herschel Walker)
Tennessee Titans Received
- player Butch Johnson
- pick 1984 second round pick (#54-Bo Eason)
Trade Analysis
The package is unusual because the teams exchanged both players and second-round selections. Transaction histories and Dallas draft records show the Cowboys receiving Mike Renfro, the 1984 No. 40 pick and Houston's 1985 fifth-round choice. Houston received Butch Johnson and Dallas's 1984 No. 54 selection, which became Bo Eason. Dallas later used the fifth-rounder at No. 114 on Herschel Walker.
Renfro alone supplied meaningful value. NFL statistics show 35 catches for 583 yards in his first Dallas season, followed by 60 catches for 955 yards and eight touchdowns in 1985. He remained a productive Cowboys receiver through 1987. That four-year contribution already compares favorably with what Houston realized from the veteran and draft pick it received.
The fifth-round choice makes the gap much larger. Dallas selected Walker while he was still committed to the USFL, preserving his NFL rights until he joined the Cowboys. Walker became a major Dallas player and, years later, the centerpiece of the famous 1989 trade with Minnesota. This 1984 transaction therefore helped place an unusually valuable future asset on the Cowboys roster.
Houston's return had some immediate usefulness, but neither Butch Johnson nor Bo Eason created comparable long-term value. The previous Houston-win verdict does not fit the documented outcomes. Dallas received the better veteran, the better overall draft leverage and the extraordinary upside of the Walker selection. An A+ and a Dallas win reflect that combined return; Houston's D+ recognizes that it did receive an NFL receiver and a second-round pick, just not enough to match what it surrendered.