New Orleans acquired running back Allen Pinkett from the…
New Orleans acquired running back Allen Pinkett from the Houston Oilers in January 1992 for a fifth-round pick in that year's draft. Houston used the transferred selection at No. 133 on linebacker Joe Bowden. Pinkett was added to strengthen a Saints backfield coming off an NFC West title, but a preseason knee injury prevented the deal from producing the hoped-for immediate return.
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Allen Pinkett
Tennessee Titans Received
- pick 1992 fifth round pick (#133-Joe Bowden)
Trade Analysis
Why New Orleans Made the Move
The Saints entered 1992 as the defending NFC West champion but wanted more help in a running game that had lagged behind the strength of the defense. Allen Pinkett offered veteran experience after several seasons with Houston. Contemporary reporting described the price plainly: New Orleans sent a fifth-round choice in the 1992 draft for Pinkett.
What Houston Received
The Oilers converted a veteran back into the 133rd overall selection. That pick became linebacker Joe Bowden. Because the selection can be traced directly from New Orleans to Houston, the draft side of the transaction is unusually clean for a deal from this period.
Why the Saints' Plan Failed
Pinkett's opportunity in New Orleans was badly damaged before the regular season. During an August scrimmage he suffered a serious knee injury that was expected to cost him the season. That injury prevented the Saints from realizing the depth and rushing value they had sought when they made the January trade.
How to Judge the Return
Houston received a usable draft asset for a player it was willing to move, while New Orleans paid a mid-Day-3-equivalent pick for a veteran who never delivered the intended contribution because of injury. The Saints' process was understandable, and the price was not excessive, but the realized outcome favors the Oilers' side more than the original even label suggests.
Final Verdict
Slight Houston Oilers Edge. Houston earns a B- for turning Pinkett into a fifth-round selection with a known outcome. New Orleans earns a C+ because the acquisition addressed a real need at a reasonable cost, but the injury erased most of the expected value.
Pinkett's New Orleans opportunity was derailed by a serious preseason knee injury, while Houston converted the fifth-round selection into linebacker Joe Bowden, overall across the seasons that followed for both clubs.