New Orleans received defensive end Leo Carroll plus the…

The Exchange

On 1971-01-29, New Orleans Saints and Washington Commanders completed an exchange in which New Orleans Saints received Leo Carroll and 1971 17th round pick (#428-Hermann Eben), while Washington Commanders received Mike Taylor. Both sides obtained identifiable football value, so the hindsight comparison turns on what those pieces actually produced after the move rather than on the number of names or selections in the package. The later careers and roster roles provide the clearest way to separate the returns.

New Orleans Saints Return

New Orleans received defensive end Leo Carroll plus the seventeenth-round choice at No. 428, used on Hermann Eben. The Saints gained two pieces, but the later football payoff was modest and did not create a clear advantage. That result supports a C grade and fits an even overall verdict.

Washington Return

Washington received tackle Mike Taylor. Taylor's stay with Washington was brief, which kept the one-player return from becoming a meaningful long-term win. The supported public name is simply Mike Taylor. That result supports a C grade and fits an even overall verdict. The short tenure keeps Washington's side firmly in the middle range.

Value in Hindsight

Neither side turned the exchange into durable value. New Orleans had more pieces and Washington had the cleaner single-player acquisition, but the actual professional returns remained too small to justify separating the clubs by more than a nominal amount. Looking back at the completed careers and downstream outcomes makes the relative value clearer than it was on the day of the exchange.

Final Verdict

The trade is even, with C grades for both teams. Each side received legitimate consideration, yet neither produced a strong enough result to claim the better outcome. The grades are intentionally scaled to the modest size of the transaction and the strength of the documented on-field return.