Green Bay traded defensive end Bill Quinlan and defensive…
Green Bay traded defensive end Bill Quinlan and defensive back John Symank to New York in April 1963 for the Giants' 1964 third-round selection, No. 40. The Packers used it on Joe O'Donnell, but he signed with Buffalo of the AFL instead of Green Bay and never played for the Packers. New York quickly converted Quinlan into another player asset, making the Giants' realized return stronger.
Green Bay Packers Received
- pick 1964 third-round pick (No. 40, Joe O'Donnell )
New York Giants Received
- player Bill Quinlan
- player John Symank
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Green Bay traded defensive end Bill Quinlan and defensive back John Symank to New York in April 1963 for the Giants' third-round choice in the 1964 draft. Packers history identifies that pick as No. 40, used on Michigan lineman Joe O'Donnell. The package is clean: two veteran Packers went to New York for one future third-round selection. What happened after the draft is crucial because O'Donnell also had an AFL option.
New York's Return
Quinlan and Symank arrived with championship experience from Green Bay. The Giants did not keep both for long. Quinlan was immediately traded to Philadelphia, allowing New York to convert him into another roster asset rather than simply release him. Symank's Giants stay was also brief before another move. The direct New York game production was limited, but the club retained practical value through the ability to redeploy the veterans it acquired.
Green Bay's Return
The Packers used the third-round pick on O'Donnell, a talented guard and tackle who went on to play 91 professional games. The catch is that none of those games came for Green Bay. O'Donnell had also been drafted by Buffalo in the AFL and chose the Bills, so the Packers received no regular-season service from their No. 40 selection. His later career quality cannot be credited as Packers production when he never signed there.
Value in Hindsight
Green Bay's strategy was understandable: convert two veterans into a premium draft choice and refresh the roster. The execution failed because the selected player chose another league. New York did not uncover a long-term star either, but its incoming veterans remained movable assets, and Quinlan was immediately converted again. When one side's third-round selection produces zero team service, even a modest veteran return can become the better realized outcome.
Final Verdict
New York Giants Win. New York earns a B- for obtaining two veterans and preserving value through subsequent movement. Green Bay receives a C- because the valuable third-round slot became a player who never suited up for the Packers. O'Donnell's strong later career belongs to Buffalo and Denver, not Green Bay, so the Giants hold the clearer realized advantage.