Buffalo acquired cornerback Rod Hill and Dallas' 1985…
Buffalo acquired cornerback Rod Hill and Dallas' 1985 fifth-round selection, which became Jimmy Teal, while sending Dallas its own 1985 fifth-rounder plus 1986 sixth- and conditional twelfth-round choices. Dallas converted those picks into Matt Darwin, Thornton Chandler and Chris Duliban. None became a franchise star, but Dallas extracted three draft assets from a depth-player exchange and produced the cleaner cumulative return.
Buffalo Bills Received
- player Rod Hill
- pick 1985 fifth round pick (#130-Jimmy Teal)
Dallas Cowboys Received
- pick 1985 fifth round pick (#119-Matt Darwin)
- pick 1986 sixth round pick (#140-Thornton Chandler)
- pick 1986 conditional twelfth round pick (#307-Chris Duliban)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Buffalo and Dallas made a multi-year draft-capital trade in August 1984. The Bills received defensive back Rod Hill and Dallas' 1985 fifth-round selection, later used on Jimmy Teal. Dallas received Buffalo's 1985 fifth-rounder, a 1986 sixth-rounder and a conditional 1986 twelfth-round choice. Those selections became Matt Darwin, Thornton Chandler and Chris Duliban, giving Dallas three chances to turn a depth-player move into roster value.
Buffalo Bills Return
Buffalo acquired cornerback Rod Hill and Dallas' 1985 fifth-round selection, which became Jimmy Teal, while sending Dallas its own 1985 fifth-rounder plus 1986 sixth- and conditional twelfth-round choices. Dallas converted those picks into Matt Darwin, Thornton Chandler and Chris Duliban. None became a franchise star, but Dallas extracted three draft assets from a depth-player exchange and produced the cleaner cumulative return.
Dallas Cowboys Return
Dallas moved Rod Hill and a fifth-round pick to Buffalo for three future selections: a 1985 fifth, a 1986 sixth and a conditional 1986 twelfth. Those choices became Matt Darwin, Thornton Chandler and Chris Duliban. Buffalo gained Hill and Jimmy Teal, but the Bills did not receive enough lasting production to outweigh the extra draft volume surrendered, leaving Dallas with the modest hindsight edge.
Value in Hindsight
This was not a trade with a hidden superstar. Its value comes from comparing modest outcomes and opportunity cost. Buffalo gained an immediate player and a pick, while Dallas acquired three future choices. Because neither side produced elite talent, the side that created more usable draft inventory deserves the slight advantage. The transaction is better viewed as a small Dallas efficiency win than a major Buffalo mistake.
Final Verdict
Dallas earns a B and Buffalo a C+. The Cowboys' return was deeper and ultimately more useful, even though no acquired selection became a cornerstone. Buffalo's package was defensible for a team seeking an immediate roster piece, but Hill and the added fifth-rounder did not deliver enough sustained impact to match the three-choice return Dallas assembled.