Miami acquired Norm Bulaich from Philadelphia for a 1976…
Miami acquired Norm Bulaich from Philadelphia for a 1976 fourth-round pick and received five seasons from the veteran back. Bulaich scored 10 total touchdowns in his first Dolphins season and remained a regular contributor through 1979. Philadelphia used the No. 111 selection on defensive end Mike Smith, who never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. Miami clearly realized more value.
Miami Dolphins Received
- player Norm Bulaich
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- pick 1976 fourth round pick (#111-Mike Smith (c))
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Miami acquired running back Norm Bulaich from Philadelphia on July 9, 1975, for a fourth-round selection in the 1976 draft. Philadelphia's own historical draft material identifies the acquired choice as No. 111, used on Florida defensive end Mike Smith. The trade became a clean comparison between a known veteran and the drafted player selected with the return.
What Miami Received
Bulaich gave the Dolphins immediate and sustained usefulness. In 1975 he rushed for 309 yards, caught 32 passes for 276 yards, and scored 10 total touchdowns. He followed with 540 rushing yards in 1976 and 416 in 1977, then remained with Miami through 1979. He was not the centerpiece of the offense, but five seasons of rotational backfield production is a strong return for a fourth-round pick.
What Philadelphia Received
The Eagles used the No. 111 selection on Smith. Draft records confirm the selection, but Smith never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. That makes the Philadelphia side unusually easy to evaluate: the club obtained legitimate draft capital, yet the player chosen with it delivered no recorded NFL playing value.
Why Miami Wins
Veteran-for-pick trades often favor the team that preserves younger, cheaper upside. That logic only matters if the pick becomes something useful. Miami received five seasons from Bulaich and meaningful production immediately. Philadelphia's fourth-round selection did not reach the field. The gap is not based on hindsight about a marginal statistical difference; it is sustained contribution versus no NFL game production.
Final Verdict
Miami receives a B+ and Philadelphia a D. The Dolphins paid a reasonable mid-round price for a productive veteran and got five seasons from him. The Eagles' asset was real, but the selection failed to create NFL value. Miami wins decisively.