Atlanta Falcons received Ed Luther. Atlanta acquired…
Atlanta Falcons received Ed Luther. Atlanta acquired quarterback Ed Luther. The move gave the Falcons the player they targeted, but his return did not match the combined usefulness of the player and restored draft capital sent to the Chargers. Washington plus the recovered draft asset gave the Chargers the more useful overall package, supporting the existing Chargers-side result. That outcome supports a C+ grade for Atlanta Falcons.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Ed Luther
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- player Ronnie Washington
- pick 1987 sixth round pick (#143 subsequently traded, Steve Bartalo)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1986-08-14, Atlanta Falcons received Ed Luther, while Los Angeles Chargers received Ronnie Washington and 1987 sixth round pick (#143 subsequently traded, Steve Bartalo). Team and player records support the package. The comparison focuses on value each club controlled after the exchange.
Atlanta Falcons Return
Atlanta Falcons received Ed Luther. Atlanta acquired quarterback Ed Luther. The move gave the Falcons the player they targeted, but his return did not match the combined usefulness of the player and restored draft capital sent to the Chargers. Washington plus the recovered draft asset gave the Chargers the more useful overall package, supporting the existing Chargers-side result. That outcome supports a C+ grade for Atlanta Falcons. The grade reflects the practical return created for this franchise rather than merely the name attached to a pick after later movement.
Los Angeles Chargers Return
Los Angeles Chargers received Ronnie Washington and 1987 sixth round pick (#143 subsequently traded, Steve Bartalo). The Chargers received Ronnie Washington and had a previously dealt sixth-round choice returned. That pick was later moved again before Steve Bartalo was selected at No. 143, so the downstream label belongs only as pick-history context. Washington plus the recovered draft asset gave the Chargers the more useful overall package, supporting the existing Chargers-side result. That outcome supports a B- grade for Los Angeles Chargers. This side is judged on the value it actually controlled after the trade, including documented playing time and clearly traceable use of acquired selections.
Value in Hindsight
Washington plus the recovered draft asset gave the Chargers the more useful overall package, supporting the existing Chargers-side result. The comparison gives the most weight to regular-season contribution, starting value, and clearly documented conversion of acquired draft capital. Later selections by another holder are useful for tracing a pick, but they are not treated as on-field production for a club that had already moved the asset.
Final Verdict
The final call is Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers Win. Atlanta Falcons earns C+, and Los Angeles Chargers earns B-. Those grades match the supported package and the relative football value each side ultimately realized, without overstating the exchange or assigning another club's later player outcome to the wrong team.