Dallas acquired wide receiver Ron Sellers from New England in…
Dallas acquired wide receiver Ron Sellers from New England in July 1972 for a conditional 1973 pick that settled as the third-round selection used on Charles Davis at No. 73. Sellers immediately led the Cowboys with 653 receiving yards and caught the winning touchdown in their divisional playoff comeback. Davis never played an NFL regular-season game, making Dallas the clear hindsight winner.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- player Ron Sellers
New England Patriots Received
- pick 1973 conditional draft pick (resolved as third round, #73-Charles Davis)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
Dallas acquired Ron Sellers from New England in July 1972 for a conditional 1973 draft choice. The condition could have elevated the compensation, but the final result was a third-round selection, No. 73, which New England used on running back Charles Davis. Draft-transaction records preserve both the condition and the eventual pick.
What Dallas Received
Sellers paid off immediately. In 1972 he caught 31 passes for 653 yards and five touchdowns, leading Dallas in receiving yardage. His biggest moment came in the divisional playoff against San Francisco, when he caught the late winning touchdown during the Cowboys’ dramatic fourth-quarter comeback. Even though his Dallas tenure lasted only one season before he became part of another trade, that season delivered real regular-season and postseason value.
What New England Received
The Patriots obtained a legitimate third-round asset and selected Davis. His professional record shows that he signed with New England but did not appear in an NFL regular-season game. Whatever value the pick held on draft day, the actual conversion produced essentially no playing return for the Patriots. Sellers’ 21.1 yards per reception also shows that Dallas was not merely filling a roster spot; it added a genuine vertical threat at a time when the team remained a championship contender.
Final Verdict
The direct outcomes are not close. Dallas received a productive starting-caliber receiver who led the team in yardage and made a memorable playoff contribution. New England received a third-round pick that did not become an NFL regular-season contributor. A B+ for Dallas and C for New England recognize a clear Cowboys win while keeping the scale appropriate for a one-season Dallas tenure.