Cleveland acquired rookie wide receiver Willie Miller from…
Cleveland acquired rookie wide receiver Willie Miller from Houston on July 16, 1975 for its 1976 twelfth-round pick, No. 324. Miller played all 14 games for the Browns that season, catching seven passes for 57 yards and making three starts.
Cleveland Browns Received
- player Willie Miller
Tennessee Titans Received
- pick 1976 twelfth-round pick (No. 324; Larry Bell)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Cleveland and Houston team records resolve the compensation cleanly. The Browns official draft history states that Cleveland's 1976 twelfth-round choice was traded to Houston for Willie Miller. The Titans/Oilers media guide identifies that acquired Cleveland pick as No. 324 and says it was used on Larry Bell. Contemporary Associated Press reporting from July 1975 independently describes Miller going to Cleveland for an undisclosed 1976 draft choice.
Cleveland's Return
Miller gave the Browns immediate, if modest, regular-season value. Pro Football Reference records him in all 14 games in 1975 with three starts, seven receptions for 57 yards, and one rushing attempt. A later Rams media guide also notes that Houston traded Miller almost immediately after drafting him and summarizes his Cleveland role as a backup receiver. He moved on after the season but proved he could contribute at NFL level.
Houston's Return
The Oilers used No. 324 on Larry Bell of East Texas State. Pro Football Archives records Bell as drafted and signed by Houston in 1976, then released without a regular-season appearance. The pick therefore produced no realized NFL game value for the Oilers.
Final Verdict
Cleveland Browns Win. Cleveland earns a B- because a twelfth-round pick produced a full season of roster value, three starts and limited receiving production from Miller. Houston earns a D+ because the acquired pick became a player who did not appear in an NFL regular-season game. The Browns' gain was modest rather than transformative, but it clearly exceeded the Oilers' realized return.