San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed this…
San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed this exchange on 1993-04-25. Cocozzo was a legitimate NFL starter, playing 77 games with 48 starts for San Diego. The Chargers deserve a respectable grade because Cocozzo was not a bust; he started across five seasons and provided real offensive-line value. Following the acquired picks only through moves actually made by the receiving clubs, the overall result is Tampa Bay Buccaneers Win.
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- pick 1993 third round pick (#64-Joe Cocozzo)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- pick 1993 third round pick (#82-John Lynch (Jr.))
- pick 1993 fourth round pick (#104-Horace Copeland)
Trade Analysis
Why the Deal Happened
Tampa Bay traded down from No. 64 to No. 82 in the 1993 draft and received San Diego's fourth-round pick at No. 104 as the price for moving 18 spots. The Chargers used No. 64 on guard Joe Cocozzo. The Buccaneers used No. 82 on safety John Lynch and No. 104 on wide receiver Horace Copeland, creating one of the most productive trade-down outcomes in franchise history.
What San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
Cocozzo was a legitimate NFL starter, playing 77 games with 48 starts for San Diego. Tampa Bay still won overwhelmingly. Lynch became a franchise-defining safety, later entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame after a career that included 191 starts across Tampa Bay and Denver. Copeland added 115 receptions for 1,977 yards and seven touchdowns over his career and gave the Buccaneers another productive player from the extra selection.
How the Value Developed
The Chargers deserve a respectable grade because Cocozzo was not a bust; he started across five seasons and provided real offensive-line value. Tampa Bay's return was simply on another level. The Buccaneers moved down, landed a future Hall of Famer who helped define their defensive identity, and also received a productive receiver. Getting both Lynch and Copeland while surrendering only the higher third-round slot makes this a clear Tampa Bay victory.
Final Verdict
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Win. San Diego Chargers receives a B and Tampa Bay Buccaneers receives a A+. The grading credits direct on-field production and follows an acquired draft choice into a later trade only when that same asset was actually controlled and moved by the receiving club. That approach avoids assigning another team's eventual selection to the wrong side and keeps the verdict tied to value each franchise truly realized.