New Orleans acquired Mike Taylor and Marv Woodson from…
New Orleans acquired Mike Taylor and Marv Woodson from Pittsburgh in November 1969, with a future draft choice going to the Steelers. Woodson started five games for the Saints after the move, while Taylor appeared briefly. Historical draft summaries disagree about whether Pittsburgh's choice should be tied to the 1971 No. 106 slot, so the safest verdict gives New Orleans only a narrow edge.
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Mike Taylor
- player Marv Woodson
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- pick future draft choice (selection disputed in surviving accounts)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
New Orleans acquired Mike Taylor and Marv Woodson from Pittsburgh in November 1969, with a future draft choice going back to the Steelers. Historical draft summaries sometimes connect that consideration to the Saints' 1971 fifth-round slot, but several Pittsburgh-New Orleans transactions from the same period are linked to the same choice. The player movement and existence of draft consideration are supportable even when the exact downstream selection is treated cautiously.
New Orleans' Return
Woodson supplied the clearest Saints value. He appeared in five games and started all five after arriving in 1969, giving New Orleans immediate secondary help. Taylor's contribution was smaller; he appeared in one Saints game that season. The package therefore was not a major roster transformation, but New Orleans did receive actual late-season use from veteran players at a time when immediate depth mattered.
Pittsburgh's Return
The Steelers received a future draft choice. Because the surviving pick histories conflict over whether this specific transaction produced No. 106, it would be too aggressive to award Pittsburgh the full later career of Larry Brown from this deal alone. Future capital still had value, especially for a young team building through the draft, but the lack of a securely isolated selection keeps the return modest.
Value in Hindsight
This is a close transaction because neither side has a clean star outcome. New Orleans obtained five starts from Woodson and a small amount of Taylor service. Pittsburgh obtained a draft asset that may have been useful but cannot be tied confidently to a single downstream player without colliding with other Saints-Steelers deals. The measurable player contribution gives the Saints the safer narrow edge.
Final Verdict
New Orleans Saints Win. The Saints earn a C+ for receiving useful short-term starting work from Woodson plus brief Taylor depth. Pittsburgh gets a C for securing future draft consideration whose exact outcome remains disputed. If the pick chain were ever established conclusively, the grade could move, but the documented football value currently leans slightly toward New Orleans.