Buffalo acquired safety Neal Craig from Cincinnati on August…
Buffalo acquired safety Neal Craig from Cincinnati on August 28, 1974 for the future fourth-round selection that became running back Stan Fritts at No. 97. Craig immediately started all 14 games for the Bills in 1974 and returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown before moving to Cleveland the next year. Fritts gave Cincinnati two productive rotational seasons, rushing for 575 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding two receiving scores. That balance of realized value gives the edge to Cincinnati Bengals.
Buffalo Bills Received
- player Neil Craig / Neal Craig
Cincinnati Bengals Received
- pick 1975 fourth round pick (#97-Stan Fritts)
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Buffalo acquired safety Neal Craig from Cincinnati on August 28, 1974 for the future fourth-round selection that became running back Stan Fritts at No. 97. The exchange fit a common 1970s roster calculation: one club preferred an established player or immediate help, while the other accepted draft capital or a different asset path. The important hindsight question is not the nominal round alone, but what each team actually received once the move played out.
What Buffalo Bills Received
Craig immediately started all 14 games for the Bills in 1974 and returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown before moving to Cleveland the next year. For Buffalo Bills, that outcome is the main measure of the return. Immediate playing time matters, but so do durability, starts, scoring, and whether the acquired asset remained useful beyond a short stop. The result gives Buffalo Bills a B- because the club's realized contribution must be judged against what it surrendered.
What Cincinnati Bengals Received
Fritts gave Cincinnati two productive rotational seasons, rushing for 575 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding two receiving scores. That gives Cincinnati Bengals a different value profile from the other side. A draft choice only becomes valuable when it turns into useful football production, while a veteran's value depends on how much he actually contributes after the trade. On that basis, Cincinnati Bengals earns a B.
Why the Verdict Lands Here
Buffalo received legitimate one-season starting value, but Cincinnati extracted more multi-season scoring production from the draft choice. The comparison therefore rests on direct, realized NFL value rather than the theoretical price of the assets on the day of the deal. Longevity and meaningful contribution carry more weight than a pick number by itself, and a short stay can still matter when the opposing return produces even less.
Final Verdict
Cincinnati Bengals Win. Buffalo Bills receives a B-, while Cincinnati Bengals receives a B. The grades reflect the confirmed package and the football contribution that followed for each franchise.