Buffalo obtained the rights to linebacker Cornelius Bennett…
Buffalo obtained the rights to linebacker Cornelius Bennett on October 31, 1987, surrendering Greg Bell plus first-round picks in 1988 and 1989 and a 1989 second-rounder. Bennett became a centerpiece of the Bills defense during the franchise's Super Bowl run, making the premium package worthwhile despite the substantial price Buffalo paid.
Buffalo Bills Received
- other rights to Cornelius Bennett
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Greg Bell
- pick 1988 first round pick (#14-Gaston Green)
- pick 1989 first round pick (#26-Cleveland Gary)
- pick 1989 second round pick (#53-Darryl Henley)
Trade Analysis
Buffalo paid an enormous price because Bennett was not an ordinary rookie. Indianapolis had selected him second overall in the 1987 draft, but the linebacker remained unsigned into the season. The Bills chose to solve that stalemate by sending Greg Bell and three high draft choices to the Colts. Contemporary accounts and the Hall of Fame's history of the three-team Dickerson transaction confirm that Buffalo's package became one of the moving parts that allowed Indianapolis to reshape its roster around Eric Dickerson.
The Bills still received the best long-term player attached directly to this component. Bennett quickly became one of the defining defenders of Buffalo's AFC championship era. His speed and range fit a defense that reached four consecutive Super Bowls, and Buffalo received years of high-level linebacker play rather than a short rental. That is enough to justify an A even though the acquisition cost was unusually steep.
Indianapolis deserves a strong grade because the Colts did not simply lose Bennett. They turned unsigned rights into Bell plus first- and second-round capital and immediately used that leverage in the broader Dickerson transaction. The downstream picks also retained substantial market value. This was smart value recovery under difficult circumstances. Buffalo wins because Bennett became the lasting star the Bills were willing to pay for, but the Colts' role in the larger three-team exchange makes this much closer than a one-sided giveaway.
The hindsight balance therefore has two distinct winners in different senses: Indianapolis protected the value of an unsigned asset, while Buffalo acquired the player whose on-field career made the direct exchange memorable. Bennett's sustained impact breaks the tie.