The Cardinals received the 1968 second-round choice at No. 42…
The Cardinals received the 1968 second-round choice at No. 42 and selected Bob Atkins. Atkins went on to play more than one hundred NFL games, making the transferred selection the most substantial and durable return in the deal. That outcome supports a B+ grade within the Arizona Cardinals Win verdict. The grade reflects realized football value rather than the size of the original package.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- pick 1968 second round pick (#42- Bob Atkins )
San Francisco 49ers Received
- player Sonny Randle
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1967-09-14, Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers completed an exchange in which Arizona Cardinals received 1968 second round pick (#42-Bob Atkins), while San Francisco 49ers received Sonny Randle. The later careers and downstream use of those assets make the hindsight comparison meaningful. The strongest evaluation comes from weighing what each side actually received and what those pieces produced after the deal.
Arizona Cardinals Return
The Cardinals received the 1968 second-round choice at No. 42 and selected Bob Atkins. Atkins went on to play more than one hundred NFL games, making the transferred selection the most substantial and durable return in the deal. That outcome supports a B+ grade within the Arizona Cardinals Win verdict. The grade reflects realized football value rather than the size of the original package.
San Francisco 49ers Return
San Francisco received veteran receiver Sonny Randle late in his career. He gave the 49ers only a short stint and limited long-term value, so the player side of the exchange remained modest. That outcome supports a C+ grade within the Arizona Cardinals Win verdict. The grade reflects realized football value rather than the size of the original package.
Value in Hindsight
San Francisco's media guide says the 49ers acquired Sonny Randle from St. Louis for a 1968 second-round choice, while draft records identify that transferred selection as No. 42 Bob Atkins. Randle gave San Francisco a short late-career stint; Atkins played more than one hundred NFL games, making the Cardinals' return substantially stronger. That evidence makes the relative value easier to judge with the benefit of completed careers and documented transaction history. It also keeps the comparison proportional to the scale of the deal instead of overstating a modest exchange.
Final Verdict
Arizona Cardinals Win. The grades reflect the difference in realized football value while keeping the size and era of the transaction in perspective. Where both returns were limited, the grading stays modest; where one side produced a durable contributor, the advantage is correspondingly larger.