Denver Broncos received Stan Blinka. Denver received…
Denver Broncos received Stan Blinka. Denver received linebacker Stan Blinka, but he did not produce regular-season value for the Broncos after the move. That left Denver without a meaningful on-field return from the player it acquired. Miano's multi-season Jets contribution decisively exceeded Blinka's lack of regular-season Broncos value, making New York the clear winner. That outcome supports a D grade for Denver Broncos.
Denver Broncos Received
- player Stan Blinka
New York Jets Received
- pick 1985 sixth round pick (#166-Rich Miano)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1984-02-16, Denver Broncos received Stan Blinka, while New York Jets received 1985 sixth round pick (#166-Rich Miano). Team and player records support the package. The comparison focuses on value each club controlled after the exchange.
Denver Broncos Return
Denver Broncos received Stan Blinka. Denver received linebacker Stan Blinka, but he did not produce regular-season value for the Broncos after the move. That left Denver without a meaningful on-field return from the player it acquired. Miano's multi-season Jets contribution decisively exceeded Blinka's lack of regular-season Broncos value, making New York the clear winner. That outcome supports a D grade for Denver Broncos. The grade reflects the practical return created for this franchise rather than merely the name attached to a pick after later movement.
New York Jets Return
New York Jets received 1985 sixth round pick (#166-Rich Miano). New York received the 1985 sixth-round choice that became Rich Miano at No. 166. Miano developed into a multi-season Jets defensive back and special-teams contributor, giving New York a useful long-term return. Miano's multi-season Jets contribution decisively exceeded Blinka's lack of regular-season Broncos value, making New York the clear winner. That outcome supports an A- grade for New York Jets. This side is judged on the value it actually controlled after the trade, including documented playing time and clearly traceable use of acquired selections.
Value in Hindsight
Miano's multi-season Jets contribution decisively exceeded Blinka's lack of regular-season Broncos value, making New York the clear winner. The comparison gives the most weight to regular-season contribution, starting value, and clearly documented conversion of acquired draft capital. Later selections by another holder are useful for tracing a pick, but they are not treated as on-field production for a club that had already moved the asset.
Final Verdict
The final call is New York Jets Win. Denver Broncos earns D, and New York Jets earns A-. Those grades match the supported package and the relative football value each side ultimately realized, without overstating the exchange or assigning another club's later player outcome to the wrong team.