San Diego traded retired star tackle Ron Mix to Oakland on…
San Diego traded retired star tackle Ron Mix to Oakland on June 3, 1970 for two undisclosed but “high” choices in the 1971 and 1972 drafts. Mix did not play in 1970, returned for Oakland in 1971 and appeared in 12 games with four starts before retiring again. Because the exact selections remain unidentified, Oakland receives only a narrow verdict edge.
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- player Ron Mix
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- pick 1971 high draft pick (selection not identified)
- pick 1972 high draft pick (selection not identified)
Trade Analysis
The Corrected Compensation
A contemporary Associated Press report published June 3, 1970 states that San Diego traded Ron Mix to Oakland for two undisclosed but “high” draft choices in 1971 and 1972. That corrects the earlier record, which placed the choices in 1970 and 1971. The transaction was made while Mix was retired, so Oakland was acquiring his playing rights and the possibility that the decorated tackle would return rather than a player already on an active roster.
What Oakland Received
The gamble did produce a season of football. Raiders history lists Mix as joining by trade in 1971, and both Raiders and Pro Football Hall of Fame records show him appearing in 12 games that year. Pro-Football-Reference credits him with four starts. His reputation was extraordinary—he had been a perennial All-AFL tackle with the Chargers—but this deal captured only the final season of that career. He retired again after 1971.
What San Diego Received
San Diego secured two future choices described at the time as high selections. The surviving report does not identify the exact rounds, pick numbers or players ultimately tied to those choices. That missing detail matters: two genuinely high selections could outweigh one short season from an aging tackle, while conditional or altered compensation could change the balance. The correction therefore establishes the years and general quality of the return without pretending the downstream value is known.
Final Verdict
Oakland gets a narrow win because the Raiders received a Hall of Fame-caliber veteran who actually returned and contributed in 12 games, while San Diego’s exact realized draft value cannot be traced confidently from the available documentation. The margin stays small. Oakland earns a C+ for extracting one useful season from a retired star; San Diego gets a C because it obtained two future high choices but their precise identities and eventual value remain uncertain. Confidence is medium rather than high for that reason.