New Orleans acquired veteran running back Earl Gros from…
New Orleans acquired veteran running back Earl Gros from Pittsburgh on September 1, 1970, for 1971 fifth- and eighth-round draft choices. The eighth-rounder is traceable to No. 184, Larry Crowe, while historical summaries also associate Pittsburgh with the Saints' fifth-round slot. Gros barely contributed in New Orleans, making the draft-capital return far more valuable for Pittsburgh.
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Earl Gros
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- pick 1971 fifth-round draft choice
- pick 1971 eighth-round draft choice (No. 184, Larry Crowe)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
New Orleans acquired running back Earl Gros from Pittsburgh on September 1, 1970, for two selections in the 1971 draft, one in the fifth round and one in the eighth. The eighth-round choice is tied to No. 184, used on Larry Crowe. Historical summaries also connect the Saints' fifth-round choice to Pittsburgh, although several Saints-Steelers transactions from the period create competing claims around the exact No. 106 path.
New Orleans' Return
Gros was an experienced veteran, but his Saints contribution was extremely small. He appeared in only one game for New Orleans and carried four times for two yards. There was no late-career rebound that could justify the cost of two future selections. The Saints were buying immediate backfield help, yet the player side effectively disappeared before it could produce useful regular-season value.
Pittsburgh's Return
The Steelers converted an older running back into multiple 1971 draft assets. Even without overstating the disputed fifth-round lineage, the round-level compensation is significant for a player who barely played after the move. The eighth-round selection is associated with Larry Crowe, and Pittsburgh's broader early-1970s approach to accumulating and using draft capital was central to the roster build that followed.
Value in Hindsight
This is one of the clearer lopsided outcomes in the group even with the fifth-round attribution treated cautiously. New Orleans received two rushing yards. Pittsburgh received two draft choices. The Steelers do not need a speculative claim that every later player came directly from this one deal to win the comparison; the confirmed asset structure and Gros' near-zero Saints production already create a substantial gap.
Final Verdict
Pittsburgh Steelers Win. Pittsburgh earns an A- for receiving two future selections for a veteran who delivered almost nothing to New Orleans. The Saints receive a D+ because Gros' stay produced only one game and two rushing yards. The exact fifth-round downstream path limits certainty at the player level, but it does not change the clear team-level verdict.