Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons exchanged Billy Taylor…
Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons exchanged Billy Taylor for undisclosed draft pick (selection not identified). Atlanta had already invested a 1970 fourth-round pick in Taylor, but he never developed into durable Falcons value. The unidentified pick keeps the ceiling low for Atlanta because no downstream career can be credited. In hindsight, Atlanta Falcons produced the stronger realized return, with the grade based on actual post-trade service and traceable downstream value rather than the nominal asset label alone.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Billy Taylor
Atlanta Falcons Received
- pick undisclosed draft pick (selection not identified)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Atlanta moved running back Billy Taylor to St. Louis in 1972 for a draft choice whose exact round and selection have not been established in the surviving transaction record.
Arizona Cardinals Return
Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons exchanged Billy Taylor for undisclosed draft pick (selection not identified). Atlanta had already invested a 1970 fourth-round pick in Taylor, but he never developed into durable Falcons value. The unidentified pick keeps the ceiling low for Atlanta because no downstream career can be credited. In hindsight, Atlanta Falcons produced the stronger realized return, with the grade based on actual post-trade service and traceable downstream value rather than the nominal asset label alone.
Atlanta Falcons Return
Atlanta Falcons sent Billy Taylor and received undisclosed draft pick (selection not identified). Taylor did not become a useful Cardinals regular. The unidentified pick keeps the ceiling low for Atlanta because no downstream career can be credited. In hindsight, Atlanta Falcons produced the stronger realized return, with the grade based on actual post-trade service and traceable downstream value rather than the nominal asset label alone.
Value in Hindsight
The unidentified pick keeps the ceiling low for Atlanta because no downstream career can be credited. Still, St. Louis received no useful NFL service from Taylor, while Atlanta obtained a real asset it could use in a future draft. On the evidence available, that is enough for a small Falcons advantage rather than an even result.
The grade also avoids rewarding either side simply for acquiring a named veteran or a numbered draft choice. The useful question is what the new club actually received after the transaction: games, starts, production, roster longevity, or a traceable downstream selection. That realized-value test keeps a small historical exchange from being overstated.
Final Verdict
Atlanta wins narrowly. A C+ reflects recovering a draft asset from a player who did not help St. Louis; the Cardinals receive D+ for acquiring Taylor without realizing meaningful NFL production.