Cincinnati traded receiver Drew Buie to New Orleans on June…
Cincinnati traded receiver Drew Buie to New Orleans on June 5, 1973, for a future draft choice whose exact selection has not been securely traced. Buie never appeared in a regular-season game for the Saints and was released before the season. Cincinnati's eventual pick cannot be assigned a specific player, but the Bengals still moved an expendable veteran for draft consideration.
Cincinnati Bengals Received
- pick future draft choice (selection not identified)
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Drew Buie
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Cincinnati sent receiver Drew Buie to New Orleans on June 5, 1973, for a future draft choice. Contemporary transaction histories confirm the player movement and indicate draft consideration, but the exact round and eventual selection are not securely connected to the deal. That means the trade can be evaluated at the level the evidence supports without attaching an invented downstream player to Cincinnati's return.
Cincinnati's Return
The Bengals received future draft consideration for a player who was not part of their long-term plans. Because the selection has not been reliably identified, Cincinnati cannot be awarded the full value of a known drafted contributor. Still, moving an expendable veteran for any draft asset is a better outcome than receiving nothing, especially when the player did not go on to make the receiving club's regular-season roster.
New Orleans' Return
Buie's Saints stay was brief. He did not appear in a regular-season game for New Orleans and was released before the season. His earlier NFL production had come elsewhere, and the trade did not revive his career with the Saints. New Orleans therefore spent future draft consideration for a camp look that produced no snaps, starts or statistics in a regular-season Saints uniform.
Value in Hindsight
The unresolved identity of Cincinnati's selection prevents a large winning grade. There is no responsible basis for claiming the Bengals drafted a particular player from this transaction. The comparative result is still straightforward: Cincinnati received a future asset, while New Orleans received no regular-season output from Buie. Even a modest untraced pick has more realized roster value than a player who never reached the season.
Final Verdict
Cincinnati Bengals Win. Cincinnati earns a C+ for obtaining future draft consideration from a player it was ready to move. New Orleans receives a D+ because Buie did not make the regular-season roster. The Bengals' edge remains modest because the exact pick outcome is not established, but the Saints' side produced no measurable football return.