Pittsburgh received what contemporary reporting and…
Pittsburgh received what contemporary reporting and transaction ledgers describe as a 1964 sixth-round draft choice. Because the transaction occurred on August 28, after the 1964 NFL draft, the wording is chronologically unusual, and the exact selection or rights mechanism has not been identified. No downstream player outcome can be assigned without inventing evidence that the surviving record does not supply.
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- pick 1964 sixth round pick (undisclosed)
Washington Commanders Received
- player Preston Carpenter
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On August 28, 1964, Pittsburgh traded Preston Carpenter to Washington for what contemporary reporting described as a 1964 draft choice; the surviving transaction ledger specifies a sixth-round choice. That wording is unusual because the 1964 NFL draft had already occurred. A contemporary September 1 newspaper report nevertheless uses the same 1964-draft-choice description, so the record is preserved as an archival designation rather than silently rewritten to 1965.
Pittsburgh Steelers Return
Pittsburgh received the draft asset, but its exact downstream identity remains unresolved. Transaction ledgers describe it as a 1964 sixth-round pick, and contemporary reporting independently calls the return a 1964 draft choice. Because the deal occurred after that year's draft, the mechanism may reflect rights or bookkeeping terminology not captured by the surviving summaries. No specific drafted player should be credited to Pittsburgh without stronger evidence.
Washington Return
Washington acquired Carpenter and received immediate, measurable production. He played all 14 games with 11 starts in 1964, catching 31 passes for 466 yards and three touchdowns. He followed with 23 receptions for 298 yards in nine games in 1965, then added three catches for 31 yards in one Washington appearance in 1966 before moving to Minnesota. His Washington tenure therefore produced 57 receptions, 795 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.
Value in Hindsight
Washington clearly realized useful veteran production from Carpenter. Pittsburgh's side cannot be measured to the same standard because the exact pick outcome is unknown. The chronological oddity is real, but the contemporary report supports preserving the original 1964 designation instead of guessing a different year. With one side measurable and the other unresolved, the safest evaluation is to keep the existing neutral result and medium confidence rather than manufacture a directional win.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Washington keeps a C for Carpenter's productive but relatively short tenure. Pittsburgh keeps a C because it received a documented draft asset whose exact selection and realized value remain unresolved. The incomplete pick trail prevents a reliable win-loss verdict even though Carpenter's Washington contribution is well established.