Houston traded tight end Willie Frazier to Kansas City on…
Houston traded tight end Willie Frazier to Kansas City on October 26, 1971 for fullback Robert Holmes and the Chiefs' 1972 third-round pick, No. 75 overall. Houston used that selection on guard Solomon Freelon. Holmes immediately started eight games for the Oilers and produced 426 scrimmage yards with four rushing touchdowns in 1971, while Freelon went on to play 39 NFL games with 11 starts.
Kansas City Chiefs Received
- player Willie Frazier
Tennessee Titans Received
- player Robert Holmes
- pick 1972 third round pick (#75-Solomon Freelon)
Trade Analysis
The legacy TradeVerdicts row had the direction of this deal wrong. Pro Sports Transactions' 1972 draft-trade ledger records Houston sending Willie Frazier to Kansas City on October 26, 1971 in exchange for Robert Holmes and the Chiefs' 1972 third-round choice. That pick became No. 75 overall, guard Solomon Freelon. Houston's own historical draft records also list Freelon as a 1972 third-round selection, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame's draft record identifies him as Houston's No. 75 pick from Kansas City. The Oilers therefore received two assets, not zero compensation. Holmes made an immediate impact after the trade. NFL career data credits him with eight games for Houston in 1971, all eight starts, 91 rushing attempts for 288 yards and four touchdowns, plus 17 catches for 138 yards. He added six more games and 172 rushing yards for Houston in 1972 before moving on. That gave the Oilers a productive short-term backfield return from the veteran side of the transaction. The draft asset also produced real service. Freelon played 39 NFL games over three seasons and started 11, with Pro Football Reference listing all 14 games of his rookie 1972 season for Houston and two starts that year. He was not a star, but a third-round pick turning into a three-year guard with double-digit career starts adds durable value to the Oilers' side. Kansas City did receive useful production from Frazier. Chiefs and NFL records show two receptions for 41 yards in eight games after the 1971 trade, followed by 13 receptions for 172 yards and five touchdowns in 1972. He appeared in 22 regular-season games for Kansas City and started eight of them across those two seasons. Five touchdowns in 1972 gave the Chiefs meaningful situational value, particularly near the goal line. Even so, the total return favors Houston. The Oilers received a starting fullback who contributed immediately and a third-round guard who supplied 39 career games, while Kansas City received a veteran tight end whose best Chiefs season was productive but brief. TradeVerdicts grades Houston B+ and Kansas City C+ and records an Oilers/Titans win. Confidence is high because the compensation chain, pick number and downstream player are all corroborated by independent draft and team records.