Denver Broncos received Shawn Knight in the 1988-08-29…
Denver Broncos received Shawn Knight in the 1988-08-29 exchange involving New Orleans Saints. Knight appeared in 14 games for Denver during the 1988 season, giving the Broncos at least one season of usable depth from a player who had struggled to justify his original draft status. That realized return supports a C grade for Denver Broncos. The overall verdict is Denver Broncos Win, with the grade based on direct value created from this transaction.
Denver Broncos Received
- player Shawn Knight
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Ted Gregory
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Denver and New Orleans swapped recent first-round defensive linemen in August 1988, with Shawn Knight going to Denver and Ted Gregory going to New Orleans. The deal is judged by the value each club directly realized from the assets it controlled, without assigning later production to a team after an asset had moved elsewhere.
Denver Broncos Return
Knight appeared in 14 games for Denver during the 1988 season, giving the Broncos at least one season of usable depth from a player who had struggled to justify his original draft status. The C grade reflects that direct outcome in proportion to the cost and scale of the transaction. A minor trade does not need to create a star to be useful, but sustained starts, dependable role value, or retained draft capital matter more than name recognition alone.
New Orleans Saints Return
Gregory appeared in only three games for New Orleans before his NFL career ended, so the Saints received very little regular-season value from their side of the swap. The D+ grade reflects that direct outcome in proportion to the cost and scale of the transaction. A minor trade does not need to create a star to be useful, but sustained starts, dependable role value, or retained draft capital matter more than name recognition alone.
Value in Hindsight
Neither player fulfilled first-round expectations, so this was not a major win for Denver. The comparison is simply that Knight delivered a full season of availability while Gregory's Saints tenure ended after three appearances. The comparison stays proportional to the size of the exchange and focuses on what each organization actually received while it controlled the acquired player or pick.
Final Verdict
Denver wins a low-value trade because the Broncos received the clearly larger direct contribution. Final grades: Denver Broncos C, New Orleans Saints D+. The final verdict is Denver Broncos Win.