Denver Broncos received Todd Kinchen in the 1996-08-26…
Denver Broncos received Todd Kinchen in the 1996-08-26 exchange with Los Angeles Rams. Todd Kinchen provided short-term return-game help for Denver without becoming a long-term core contributor. The direct package, rather than later movement of any acquired asset, is the basis for the hindsight judgment. Against what Denver Broncos surrendered, the result supports Even Trade.
Denver Broncos Received
- player Todd Kinchen
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 1997 5th round pick (158th overall, Taje Allen )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1996-08-26, Denver Broncos received Todd Kinchen, while Los Angeles Rams received 1997 5th round pick (158th overall, Taje Allen). The direct compensation defines this transaction. Any later trade involving an acquired selection or player is a separate event and is not credited back to this exchange. That keeps the comparison centered on what each club controlled immediately after the deal.
Denver Broncos Return
Todd Kinchen provided short-term return-game help for Denver without becoming a long-term core contributor. For Denver Broncos, the useful measure is the football value actually created by the incoming side: playing time, starts, sustained roster usefulness, and retained draft value. That return is weighed against the specific assets sent away here, without borrowing value from a later move by another club.
Los Angeles Rams Return
Taje Allen gave the Rams modest value from the fifth-round return, leaving the exchange close in hindsight. The same standard applies to Los Angeles Rams. The question is not how many pieces changed hands, but whether the direct return became meaningful and durable for the franchise. That keeps a minor transaction proportional while still allowing a directional grade when one side clearly did more with the assets it received.
Value in Hindsight
Denver acquired return specialist Todd Kinchen from St. Louis for the 1997 fifth-round choice that became No. 158 Taje Allen. Kinchen gave Denver a short burst of punt-return value, while the Rams' draft return was similarly modest. The long-term comparison therefore turns on realized contribution and the quality of the direct asset package, not on names attached to selections after those selections moved again. Where the evidence remains close, an even result is preferable to forcing separation; where one side created a clear practical advantage, the grades reflect that difference.
Final Verdict
Denver Broncos receives a C and Los Angeles Rams receives a C. The verdict is Even Trade. This conclusion reflects the direct exchange, the subsequent value each club actually realized from its return, and the scale of the transaction. It does not treat later unrelated asset movement as part of the original deal.