37 years ago today the press was saying we got fleeced.
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Doomsday
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Very very few people understood this trade. Even the Vikes GM didn't. You can hear this in this report. Jimmy had no intention of keeping those players - he wanted the draft picks. Ike Holt managed to stay.
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The stipulation was that if those players (Alex Stewart, Darrin Nelson, Jesse Solomon, David Howard & Ike Holt) weren't on the Cowboys roster on February 1st 1990 then the Cowboys would receive pre-determined draft picks from Vikings. Holt was with us through 1992 and SBXXVII. Solomon and Howard were with us through the 1990 season. Nelson refused to report to the Cowboys and was subsequently traded to the Chargers for a 1990 5th round pick (which the Cowboys gave to the Vikings).
Only for Stewart was this stipulation met, as he was cut in November 1989 (Jimmy called him one of the laziest players he ever coached in his book) and the Cowboys therefore received a 1990 2nd rounder.
This is from Stewart's wikipedia page;
Alex Stewart (American football) - Wikipedia
Doomsday
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Amazing chessboard details I'd forgotten - even owning and having often read both of Jimmy's books!The stipulation was that if those players (Alex Stewart, Darrin Nelson, Jesse Solomon, David Howard & Ike Holt) weren't on the Cowboys roster on February 1st 1990 then the Cowboys would receive pre-determined draft picks from Vikings. Holt was with us through 1992 and SBXXVII. Solomon and Howard were with us through the 1990 season. Nelson refused to report to the Cowboys and was subsequently traded to the Chargers for a 1990 5th round pick (which the Cowboys gave to the Vikings).
Only for Stewart was this stipulation met, as he was cut in November 1989 (Jimmy called him one of the laziest players he ever coached in his book) and the Cowboys therefore received a 1990 2nd rounder.
This is from Stewart's wikipedia page;
Alex Stewart (American football) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
View attachment 24624
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Howard did eventually prove to be useful in that Jimmy packaged him up (along with Eugene Lockhart, Ron Francis and other picks) and sent him to the Pats in exchange for the 1st overall pick in 1991 (Russell Maryland).
The real beauty of the trade was what Jimmy did with all those draft picks he received. He traded every single pick from the Walker trade to move up in the 1990, 91 & 92 drafts and get some real quality (Emmitt being the prime example).
dbair1967
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Courtesy of Grok AI:
The Cowboys acquired eight Minnesota picks in the October 12, 1989, Herschel Walker trade (three 1sts, three 2nds, a 3rd, and a 6th, including conditionals tied to the five players sent by Minnesota). Jimmy Johnson’s plan was to take the picks rather than keep the players; the Cowboys ultimately did so after further deals with Minnesota.
None of the Minnesota picks were used directly by Dallas for a selection. Johnson and the Cowboys aggressively traded them (and the value they generated) in packages with other teams. Jimmy Johnson later noted he made dozens of trades and that tracking every outcome was difficult.
Here is the standard attribution of how the picks were used (per the detailed Wikipedia breakdown of subsequent transactions):
In short, the Walker trade is credited with enabling those selections through aggressive pick trading rather than direct use of the Minnesota slots.
The Cowboys acquired eight Minnesota picks in the October 12, 1989, Herschel Walker trade (three 1sts, three 2nds, a 3rd, and a 6th, including conditionals tied to the five players sent by Minnesota). Jimmy Johnson’s plan was to take the picks rather than keep the players; the Cowboys ultimately did so after further deals with Minnesota.
None of the Minnesota picks were used directly by Dallas for a selection. Johnson and the Cowboys aggressively traded them (and the value they generated) in packages with other teams. Jimmy Johnson later noted he made dozens of trades and that tracking every outcome was difficult.
Here is the standard attribution of how the picks were used (per the detailed Wikipedia breakdown of subsequent transactions):
- Minnesota’s 1990 1st-round pick (#21): Packaged (with other assets, including value from Minnesota’s 1990 2nd) to move up with Pittsburgh from #21 to #17 overall → Emmitt Smith (RB).
- Minnesota’s 1990 2nd-round pick (#47): Used in a deal to acquire San Francisco’s 3rd, which helped facilitate the move up for Smith.
- Minnesota’s 1990 6th-round pick: Used in a trade with the Raiders to acquire DB Stan Smagala (not a draft selection).
- Minnesota’s 1991 1st-round pick: Used in a deal with New England to acquire the #1 overall pick → Russell Maryland (DT).
- Minnesota’s 1991 2nd-round pick: Used in a trade with Houston to acquire RB Alonzo Highsmith (not a draft selection).
- Minnesota’s 1992 1st-round pick: Used to acquire New England’s 1st (#19) and 2nd (#37). The #19 was then traded to Atlanta for the #17 overall → Kevin Smith (CB). The #37 was used to select Darren Woodson (S).
- Minnesota’s 1992 2nd-round pick: Used in deals involving the Chiefs and Redskins to acquire Washington’s 3rd (#58) → Clayton Holmes (CB).
- Minnesota’s 1992 3rd-round pick: Used as part of the package that brought in the New England picks mentioned above.
In short, the Walker trade is credited with enabling those selections through aggressive pick trading rather than direct use of the Minnesota slots.
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8 picks were pebbles Jimmy dropped into a pond, the ripples created ripples some of which Jimmy manipulated causing still more ripples.
dbair1967
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Contrast that with what the Rams did with the Eric Dickerson trade.
They got three 1sts and three 2nds. This was actually a 3 team deal with the Bills also involved and the Bills got LB Cornelius Bennett.
The Rams drafted:
They got three 1sts and three 2nds. This was actually a 3 team deal with the Bills also involved and the Bills got LB Cornelius Bennett.
The Rams drafted:
- Buffalo’s 1988 1st-round pick (14th overall) → Gaston Green, RB
- Indianapolis’s 1988 1st-round pick (20th overall) → Aaron Cox, WR
- Indianapolis’s 1988 2nd-round pick (47th overall) → Fred Strickland, LB
- Buffalo’s 1989 1st-round pick (26th overall) → Cleveland Gary, RB
- Indianapolis’s 1989 2nd-round pick (45th overall) → Frank Stams, LB
- Buffalo’s 1989 2nd-round pick (53rd overall) → Darryl Henley, DB/CB
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dbair1967
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By the way this is the same Fred Strickland that played for us in 96, 97 and 98. 3 yr starter here.
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I remember this guy for having a career game when the Rams shocked us 27-23 at Texas Stadium in 1992 - 29car/110yds/1TD and 7rec/44yds/1TD.
I believe he was also a Miami Hurricane under Jimmy.
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Yep, both are true.