Green Bay traded longtime defensive tackle Ron Kostelnik to…
Green Bay traded longtime defensive tackle Ron Kostelnik to Baltimore for a 1970 fourth-round pick, No. 96 overall, later used on kicker Skip Butler. Kostelnik played only 10 games for the Colts before retiring in 1970, while the Packers converted a veteran nearing retirement into mid-round draft capital. Butler never became Green Bay’s kicker, but obtaining the selection still gave the Packers the better asset-management result.
Green Bay Packers Received
- pick 1970 fourth round pick (#96-Bill Butler / Skip Butler)
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Ron Kostelnik
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Green Bay moved Ron Kostelnik to the Baltimore Colts on August 19, 1969, for a 1970 fourth-round draft choice. The pick became No. 96 overall and was used on kicker Skip Butler. Packers history, the draft transaction record, and Kostelnik’s career log all align on the transaction. The deal came after Kostelnik had been a major part of Green Bay’s championship-era defensive front for most of the decade.
What Green Bay Got
The Packers recovered a fourth-round selection for a veteran who was 29 and nearing the end of his career. Butler did not ultimately play a regular-season game for Green Bay, which limits the realized payoff from the selection itself. Still, the important trade value is that Green Bay converted a player it was ready to move on from into meaningful draft capital. Butler later played seven NFL seasons elsewhere, showing the selection was attached to a legitimate pro-level prospect even though the Packers did not retain him.
What Baltimore Got
Kostelnik gave the Colts veteran line depth, but the contribution was brief. He appeared in 10 games during the 1969 season and did not start, then retired before the 1970 season. Baltimore therefore spent a fourth-round selection for a one-year reserve role. The move was understandable for a contender seeking experience, and Kostelnik brought a championship pedigree, but the actual on-field return was modest and short-lived.
Final Verdict
Green Bay gets the edge because it obtained a fourth-round asset for a player who had only one season left. The Packers did not maximize that pick after drafting Butler, so this is not an overwhelming win. Baltimore’s C+ acknowledges useful veteran depth in 1969, while Green Bay’s B+ rewards the timing and value recovery. The transaction is a good example of moving a respected veteran at the right stage rather than holding him until retirement produced no return.