Buffalo Bills received Richard Hudson / Dick Hudson; Frank…
Buffalo Bills received Richard Hudson / Dick Hudson; Frank Lasky; rights to Harrison Rosdahl / Hatch Rosdahl in the 1963-01-14 exchange with San Diego Chargers. Dick Hudson became a long-term Buffalo starter and championship-era contributor, giving the Bills durable value from a package that also included Frank Lasky and rights to Hatch Rosdahl. The direct package is the basis for the hindsight grade, with later movement of an acquired selection treated separately. That supports Even Trade.
Buffalo Bills Received
- player Richard Hudson / Dick Hudson
- player Frank Lasky
- other rights to Harrison Rosdahl / Hatch Rosdahl
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- other rights to Tobin Rote
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1963-01-14, Buffalo Bills received Richard Hudson / Dick Hudson; Frank Lasky; rights to Harrison Rosdahl / Hatch Rosdahl, while San Diego Chargers received rights to Tobin Rote. The direct compensation is the foundation for the hindsight judgment. Later trades involving an acquired pick can explain how value continued to move through the league, but they do not change which assets these two clubs exchanged on this transaction.
Buffalo Bills Return
Buffalo Bills received Richard Hudson / Dick Hudson; Frank Lasky; rights to Harrison Rosdahl / Hatch Rosdahl in the 1963-01-14 exchange with San Diego Chargers. Dick Hudson became a long-term Buffalo starter and championship-era contributor, giving the Bills durable value from a package that also included Frank Lasky and rights to Hatch Rosdahl. The direct package is the basis for the hindsight grade, with later movement of an acquired selection treated separately. That supports Even Trade.
San Diego Chargers Return
San Diego Chargers received rights to Tobin Rote in the 1963-01-14 exchange with Buffalo Bills. Tobin Rote immediately quarterbacked San Diego to the 1963 AFL championship, giving the Chargers exceptional short-term value from the rights they acquired. The direct package is the basis for the hindsight grade, with later movement of an acquired selection treated separately. That supports Even Trade.
Value in Hindsight
This is an uncommon exchange in which both sides can point to major realized value. Buffalo found durable line play in Hudson, while San Diego obtained the quarterback who led its title run. The different shapes of that value make a forced winner less persuasive than strong matching grades. The package should therefore be judged on durable contribution and the value each club controlled immediately after the exchange. That approach keeps the conclusion proportional to a minor-tier deal while still recognizing a meaningful difference when one side produced clearly stronger results.
Final Verdict
Buffalo Bills receives a B+ and San Diego Chargers receives a B+. The verdict is Even Trade. The grade spread reflects the realized football difference described above, while the even grades used in balanced cases recognize that neither direct return created enough separation to force a winner.