Oakland acquired Steve Tannen and Carl Garrett from the Jets…

The Exchange

Oakland acquired Steve Tannen and Carl Garrett from the New York Jets on July 10, 1976. The Jets received two selections in the 1977 draft: seventh-round No. 195, used on Kevin Long, and eleventh-round No. 307, used on Dave Butterfield. The package is two players for two later-round picks. Keeping Tannen and Garrett separate, and using the standard Kevin Long name, makes the direct exchange easy to evaluate. Las Vegas Raiders Return Oakland received two veteran roster options at a relatively low draft cost. Garrett had established NFL experience, and Tannen added another defensive back option. The Raiders did not surrender an early choice or a premium future asset. Turning a seventh and an eleventh into two players can be attractive for a club seeking immediate depth, especially when late-round selections carry significant uncertainty. New York Jets Return New York received two future draft opportunities and preserved some roster flexibility. The seventh-round choice carried more practical value than the eleventh, while both gave the Jets chances to add younger, cost-controlled players. The return was not empty. The challenge is that two late selections still offered less certainty than the two established players Oakland acquired, and the eventual outcomes did not create a strong reason to favor the Jets. Value in Hindsight The trade remains modest because neither side risked premium capital. Oakland's advantage comes from converting low-end picks into two immediate players rather than from landing a superstar. The Jets' strategy of taking future selections was defensible, but the location of those picks limited their expected value. This is a case where the player quantity and immediate certainty slightly outweigh the draft flexibility. Final Verdict Oakland earns a B- and the Jets a C. The Raiders received Tannen and Garrett for Nos. 195 and 307, a favorable use of later-round capital. New York gained two legitimate future selections, preventing the result from becoming lopsided. Still, the direct practical return was stronger for Oakland, making the Raiders the clear winner within the minor scale of the transaction.