On 1991-08-21, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints completed…
On 1991-08-21, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints completed a deal whose long-term value became clearer after the players and draft choices developed. Perriman became a six-year fixture in Detroit, starting 91 games and catching 428 passes for 5,244 yards and 25 touchdowns as a Lion. Detroit still created the larger return because Perriman immediately became a major part of the offense and remained highly productive through 1996. The result is Detroit Lions Win, with Detroit Lions graded A+ and New Orleans Saints graded B.
Detroit Lions Received
- player Brett Perriman
New Orleans Saints Received
- pick 1992 fifth round pick (#138-Torrance Small)
Trade Analysis
Why the Deal Happened
Detroit acquired wide receiver Brett Perriman from New Orleans on August 21, 1991 for a 1992 fifth-round choice. Contemporary reporting and the league transaction log support August 21, while some later draft records list August 22. The Lions wanted a receiver whose skill set fit their offense, and New Orleans converted a departing player into a future draft selection that eventually became No. 138.
What Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints Received
Perriman became a six-year fixture in Detroit, starting 91 games and catching 428 passes for 5,244 yards and 25 touchdowns as a Lion. New Orleans used No. 138 on wide receiver Torrance Small. Small was a useful Saints player rather than a throwaway return, spending five seasons in New Orleans and providing receiving production before continuing a ten-year NFL career.
How the Value Developed
Detroit still created the larger return because Perriman immediately became a major part of the offense and remained highly productive through 1996. His 1995 season included 108 receptions for 1,488 yards and nine touchdowns. Small supplied useful depth and starting work for New Orleans, so the old low grade for the Saints understates their side, but his team-specific production never approached Perriman's volume in Detroit.
Final Verdict
Detroit Lions Win. The Lions receive an A+ for acquiring a six-year, 5,000-yard receiver with a fifth-round pick. New Orleans receives a B because the pick became Torrance Small, a legitimate multi-season contributor, not a failed selection. The gap remains clear, but this was not a case in which one team received everything and the other received nothing. Detroit simply obtained the far more productive player.