Denver acquired Paul Martha and Sid Williams from Pittsburgh…
Denver acquired Paul Martha and Sid Williams from Pittsburgh in June 1970, sending Walter Highsmith, Wallace Dickey and a 1971 draft choice whose specific selection cannot be identified from the surviving record. Martha immediately gave Denver meaningful secondary production, including six interceptions in 1970. That direct impact gives the Broncos a narrow edge despite the unresolved identity of the future pick.
Denver Broncos Received
- player Paul Martha
- player Sidney Williams / Sid Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- player Walter Highsmith / Walt Highsmith
- player Wallace Dickey
- pick 1971 draft pick (selection not identified)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The surviving record is unusually split across period materials. Pittsburgh's 1970 media guide says Wallace Dickey arrived with Walt Highsmith for Paul Martha and Sid Williams. Broader transaction records also include a 1971 draft choice going to Pittsburgh. The exact selection attached to that future choice cannot be established safely, but the trade itself and its five asset components are consistently recoverable.
Denver's Return
Denver's most important return was Martha. In 1970 he became a productive defensive back for the Broncos and intercepted six passes, an immediate contribution that materially outweighs the brief presence of many players involved in old multi-player exchanges. Sid Williams was also part of Denver's incoming package, though his stay was short. Martha is the reason Denver's grade rises above average.
Pittsburgh's Return
Pittsburgh received three forms of value: Highsmith, Dickey and the future draft choice. That is a credible package, and the Steelers' own period guide independently confirms Highsmith and Dickey as part of the exchange. The uncertainty lies only in the exact identity of the 1971 selection, not in whether a future pick was included. The return was real, but its documented on-field payoff is less striking.
Value in Hindsight
Older trades often survive in abbreviated team histories that omit one component while period publications preserve another. Here, those materials complement rather than destroy the transaction identity. The player core is well supported, the future pick is independently recorded, and Denver's immediate benefit through Martha is measurable. That is enough to judge the trade without inventing a specific 1971 selection.
Final Verdict
Denver Broncos Win. Denver earns a B because Martha's six-interception 1970 season supplied the clearest realized football value from the transaction. Pittsburgh receives a C+ for a legitimate multi-asset return that included two players and a future draft choice. The unknown exact selection tempers precision, but it does not prevent a responsible verdict on the exchange.