The Rams acquired kicker Tom Dempsey from Philadelphia for a…
The Rams acquired kicker Tom Dempsey from Philadelphia for a future fourth-round choice whose surviving draft lineage is identified as probably No. 117. Dempsey immediately rewarded Los Angeles by making 21 of 26 field goals in 1975 and scoring a team-high 94 points. Philadelphia later moved the pick onward. The Rams received clear, productive veteran value and deserve the edge.
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Tom Dempsey
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- pick 1976 fourth round pick (probably #117) [later traded to Green Bay Packers for Bill Lueck]
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Actually Did
Los Angeles acquired veteran kicker Tom Dempsey from Philadelphia in April 1975 for a future fourth-round draft choice. Surviving draft-lineage records identify the selection as probably No. 117, and that uncertainty should remain explicit rather than being presented as absolute fact.
Why Dempsey Paid Off Immediately
The Rams received a strong first season. Their 1976 media guide records Dempsey making 21 of 26 field-goal attempts in 1975, an 80.8 percent rate, while scoring a team-high 94 points. That is meaningful direct production from a veteran acquired for a middle-round choice.
What Philadelphia Received
The Eagles gained future draft capital and later moved the likely selection to Green Bay in the Bill Lueck transaction. That gave Philadelphia flexibility, but the surviving chain does not show a direct Eagles payoff comparable with what Dempsey delivered in Los Angeles.
Why the Pick Uncertainty Matters
Historical records do not support pretending that the exact fourth-round selection is certain. Keeping the probable designation preserves the distinction between a well-supported trade and a fully settled downstream pick chain. The core exchange, however, is clear enough to judge, and Dempsey's documented first-year production supplies a firm football result even without pretending the downstream pick trail is perfectly complete.
Final Verdict
The Rams win and earn a B+. Dempsey gave Los Angeles immediate, above-average kicking production for a modest acquisition cost. Philadelphia receives a C because a future fourth-rounder was reasonable compensation for a veteran kicker, but the Eagles did not turn the transaction into an identifiable direct return that matched Dempsey's Rams value.