Atlanta acquired quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver from San…
Atlanta acquired quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver from San Diego for a 1992 fifth-round pick, No. 131, used on linebacker Kevin Little. Tolliver appeared in 23 games across three Falcons seasons and made nine starts, giving Atlanta meaningful quarterback depth. Little did not appear in an NFL regular-season game for San Diego. The trade therefore produced a clear Falcons advantage from a modest mid-round cost.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Billy Joe Tolliver
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- pick 1992 fifth round pick (#131-Kevin Little)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Atlanta acquired quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver from San Diego on August 28, 1991. The Chargers received Atlanta's 1992 fifth-round selection, which became No. 131. San Diego used that choice on North Carolina A&T linebacker Kevin Little.
Atlanta Falcons Return
Tolliver gave Atlanta real quarterback depth at a reasonable cost. He appeared in seven games in 1991, nine in 1992 and seven in 1993, making nine starts over those three seasons. He threw for more than 1,700 yards with the Falcons during that initial stint and later returned to Atlanta in 1997. The production was uneven, but it was tangible NFL quarterback value.
San Diego Chargers Return
Little entered the league as an athletic linebacker prospect after a productive college career, but the draft choice did not translate into regular-season NFL production. He appeared on San Diego's 1992 roster materials, yet he never logged an NFL regular-season game. The fifth-round asset therefore failed to give the Chargers an on-field return comparable to the quarterback they moved.
Value in Hindsight
A fifth-round pick is a reasonable price for a veteran quarterback who can start games, and Atlanta received precisely that. Tolliver was not a long-term franchise answer, but he supplied multiple seasons of usable depth and nine starts. San Diego had a legitimate chance to turn the pick into a younger defender; the outcome simply did not materialize.
Final Verdict
Atlanta earns a B and San Diego a D+. Tolliver's starts and multi-season presence comfortably outweigh a fifth-round pick that produced no NFL game appearances. The Falcons did not acquire a star, but they received meaningful quarterback value for a modest price.