New Orleans acquired defensive lineman Leo Brooks from…
New Orleans acquired defensive lineman Leo Brooks from Houston on August 20, 1973 in a straight player-for-player trade for running back Bob Gresham. Brooks did not become a regular-season Saints contributor and soon moved on, while Gresham immediately started 10 games for the Oilers and produced 400 rushing yards plus 244 receiving yards in 1973. Houston received the clearly stronger first-year return.
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Leo Brooks
Tennessee Titans Received
- player Bob Gresham
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The Saints and Oilers completed a direct player swap on August 20, 1973: New Orleans received defensive lineman Leo Brooks, and Houston received running back Bob Gresham. Period reporting identifies both players, allowing the transaction to be evaluated without an unresolved draft component.
Brooks and New Orleans
Brooks had been a second-round Houston selection in 1970, but the move to New Orleans did not produce regular-season value for the Saints. Accounts of his career show that he was cut by New Orleans and later joined St. Louis during the 1973 season. The Saints therefore did not receive a sustained defensive contributor from the player they acquired.
Gresham in Houston
Gresham made an immediate impact for the Oilers. In 1973 he appeared in 13 games and started 10, rushing 104 times for 400 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 244 yards and another score. On a struggling Houston team, that was meaningful offensive production from a player obtained without surrendering draft capital.
Comparing the Returns
The gap is straightforward. New Orleans acquired a player who did not remain for the regular season, while Houston obtained a back who handled 132 offensive touches and generated 644 yards from scrimmage in his first year with the club. Neither player became a franchise cornerstone, but the immediate football value was decisively tilted toward Houston.
Final Verdict
Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans Win. Houston receives a B-minus for turning Brooks into a productive 1973 contributor. New Orleans receives a D-plus because Brooks did not deliver regular-season value for the Saints.
Houston immediately received 644 yards from scrimmage and ten starts from Bob Gresham in 1973, while Leo Brooks never established a comparable Saints role. The Oilers therefore converted a straight player swap into the only substantial first-year production and the stronger practical return.