Dallas Cowboys received conditional future draft pick (not…
Dallas Cowboys received conditional future draft pick (not exercised). Dallas' return was a conditional future draft pick. The condition was not exercised, so Dallas realized no selection from the consideration. That realized return supports a D- grade. Houston Oilers received Ralph Coleman, and the overall verdict is Even Trade.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- pick conditional future draft pick (not exercised)
Tennessee Titans Received
- player Ralph Coleman
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Dallas traded linebacker Ralph Coleman to the Houston Oilers on July 13, 1973. Contemporary reporting described the return as a future draft pick, while subsequent transaction history identifies it more precisely as a conditional future choice that was not exercised. The current generic label of an “undisclosed draft pick” therefore overstates what Dallas actually received and is corrected.
Dallas Cowboys Return
Dallas Cowboys received conditional future draft pick (not exercised). Dallas' return was a conditional future draft pick. The condition was not exercised, so Dallas realized no selection from the consideration. That realized return supports a D- grade. Houston Oilers received Ralph Coleman, and the overall verdict is Even Trade.
Houston Oilers Return
Houston Oilers received Ralph Coleman. Houston acquired Coleman in the July 13, 1973 trade. The Oilers waived Coleman before the 1973 regular season, leaving no regular-season contribution for Houston. That realized return supports a D- grade. Dallas Cowboys received conditional future draft pick (not exercised), and the overall verdict is Even Trade.
Value in Hindsight
Once the conditional nature of the pick is restored, both returns collapse to the same result. Dallas received a possibility that never converted into a draft selection. Houston received a player who did not reach the regular-season roster. That is materially different from a player-for-pick trade in which the receiving team actually owns and uses draft capital.
Final Verdict
The corrected verdict is Even Trade, with D-minus grades for Dallas and Houston. The structural correction changes the Dallas asset to “conditional future draft pick (not exercised).” It does not manufacture a winner: neither the unexercised condition nor Coleman's brief Houston stay generated regular-season football value.