Los Angeles Rams received 1961 fourth round pick (#45-Charlie…
Los Angeles Rams received 1961 fourth round pick (#45-Charlie Cowan) in the 1960-09-06 exchange, while Washington Redskins received Roy Wilkins. Los Angeles received Washington’s 1961 fourth-round choice, No. 45, and used it on Charlie Cowan. Cowan became the strongest long-term NFL asset connected to the exchange, giving the Rams the clearer enduring return.
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 1961 fourth round pick (#45-Charlie Cowan)
Washington Commanders Received
- player Roy Wilkins
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1960-09-06, Los Angeles Rams received 1961 fourth round pick (#45-Charlie Cowan), while Washington Redskins received Roy Wilkins. The documented transaction and downstream asset history are sufficiently clear to judge the deal on what each side actually realized. This was not a franchise-altering blockbuster, but the eventual player and draft outcomes still create a meaningful basis for comparing the two returns.
Los Angeles Rams Return
Los Angeles received Washington’s 1961 fourth-round choice, No. 45, and used it on Charlie Cowan. Cowan became the strongest long-term NFL asset connected to the exchange, giving the Rams the clearer enduring return. The B grade reflects both the usefulness of the return and its duration. In a deal of this size, even modest production or retained draft flexibility matters, but it has to be weighed against what the other club ultimately extracted from the same exchange.
Washington Redskins Return
Washington acquired Roy Wilkins and did receive a playable asset, which keeps the grade from falling too far. The problem is comparison: Wilkins did not match the long-term value that Cowan supplied after the Rams converted the pick. The C+ grade captures that side of the value equation. The important point is not simply what was promised on the trade date, but what the player or pick became after the transaction was completed and the asset chain played out.
Value in Hindsight
Draft-pick trades are ultimately judged by what the selection becomes, and here the downstream result matters. Cowan’s career gave Los Angeles a durable advantage that outweighed Washington’s return and supports the existing one-grade separation. The result is therefore best viewed through realized value rather than headline value at the moment of the trade. The grades stay proportional to the modest scale of the transaction while still recognizing the side that came away with the better outcome.
Final Verdict
Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams Win. Los Angeles Rams receives a B, and Washington Redskins receives a C+. The winning side produced the better realized return from the documented package, while the losing side still gets credit for any useful value it received rather than being treated as though the transaction produced nothing.