History Lesson: 1989 Herschel Walker Trade

[GREENBEAN]

Good morning fellow Jets fans.  Today is a great day!  It's rare that the Jets are the team who nabs the haul for a player but today is that day.  I would like to take a moment and share a little history with everyone so we can see just how impactful these types of trades can be for a franchise.  

In 1989 the Cowboys were `1-15 and had one player considered their "best" player on their squad. That player was RB Herschel Walker.  Dallas pulled off what today is looked at as the finest trade ever and remains the largest trade in NFL history. But at the time the Vikings were thought to be getting the Better end of the bargain.  

Now... the Jamal trade is not exactly the same and does not garner quite the same haul, but it's a very similar scenario where we are losing what some see as a "generational talent" for draft capital. These are the trades where the GM has to have balls to make. In 1989 Jimmy Johnson tricked the Vikings into attaching conditional picks to the players they traded to the cowboys. Johnson then essentially cut the players to grab the associated draft picks. lol Brilliant~. Johnson called it "The Great Train Robbery"  lmao!!  (That guy had balls)

Without cutting the players it was basically one year of picks and players for Walker.  It ended up being an absolute coup for the boys.

Joe Douglas did not pull off something to that extent but what he did do has tiers of benefit  for the Jets. From 2 3rds this year, 2 years with 2 firsts, a starting SS to the incredible cap savings on top of it all. 

Here is how the Herschell Walker trade broke down in 1989. This Jamal Adams trade can be looked back on in a similar way for our NY Jets and our powerhouse of a GM, Mr. Joe "F*ckin" Douglas! 

The day it all turned around! 

 

In the original proposal, Dallas agreed to give Herschel Walker and three draft picks to Minnesota. In exchange, the Cowboys would get from the Vikings five players, three draft picks, and conditional picks attached to each of those five players should he be cut by Dallas before February 1, 1990:^[4]

One of those players that Minnesota agreed to send to Dallas, Darrin Nelson, refused to report to the Cowboys. Dallas then agreed to trade Nelson to the San Diego Chargers for their fifth round pick in 1990, which the Cowboys promptly sent to the Vikings. In total, this revised trade involved 18 players and draft picks (with the revised transactions involving San Diego in bold?^[2]

To Dallas Cowboys	To Minnesota Vikings	To San Diego Chargers
LB Jesse Solomon LB David Howard CB Issiac Holt DE Alex Stewart Minnesota's 1st round pick in 1990 Minnesota's 2nd round pick in 1990 Minnesota's 6th round pick in 1990 Minnesota's 1st round pick in 1991 (conditional on cutting Solomon) Minnesota's 2nd round pick in 1991 (conditional on cutting Howard) Minnesota's 1st round pick in 1992 (conditional on cutting Holt) Minnesota's 2nd round pick in 1992 (condition met by trading away Nelson) Minnesota's 3rd round pick in 1992 (conditional on cutting Stewart)	RB Herschel Walker Dallas's 3rd round pick in 1990 San Diego's 5th round pick in 1990 Dallas's 10th round pick in 1990 Dallas's 3rd round pick in 1991	RB Darrin Nelson

The Vikings had originally assumed that they got the better end of the deal, not knowing at the time that head coach Jimmy Johnson was interested only in the draft picks and not the players. At a press conference after the trade, Johnson bragged that he committed "The Great Train Robbery," but was criticized by various sports writers 

[Dunnie]

Good morning fellow Jets fans.  Today is a great day!  It's rare that the Jets are the team who nabs the haul for a player but today is that day.  I would like to take a moment and share a little history with everyone so we can see just how impactful these types of trades can be for a franchise.  
In 1989 the Cowboys were `1-15 and had one player considered their "best" player on their squad. That player was RB Herschel Walker.  Dallas pulled off what today is looked at as the finest trade ever and remains the largest trade in NFL history. But at the time the Vikings were thought to be getting the Better end of the bargain.  
Now... the Jamal trade is not exactly the same and does not garner quite the same haul, but it's a very similar scenario where we are losing what some see as a "generational talent" for draft capital. These are the trades where the GM has to have balls to make. In 1989 Jimmy Johnson tricked the Vikings into attaching conditional picks to the players they traded to the cowboys. Johnson then essentially cut the players to grab the associated draft picks. lol Brilliant~. Johnson called it "The Great Train Robbery"  lmao!!  (That guy had balls)
Without cutting the players it was basically one year of picks and players for Walker.  It ended up being an absolute coup for the boys.
Joe Douglas did not pull off something to that extent but what he did do has tiers of benefit  for the Jets. From 2 3rds this year, 2 years with 2 firsts, a starting SS to the incredible cap savings on top of it all. 
Here is how the Herschell Walker trade broke down in 1989. This Jamal Adams trade can be looked back on in a similar way for our NY Jets and our powerhouse of a GM, Mr. Joe "F*ckin" Douglas! 
The day it all turned around! 
 

In the original proposal, Dallas agreed to give Herschel Walker and three draft picks to Minnesota. In exchange, the Cowboys would get from the Vikings five players, three draft picks, and conditional picks attached to each of those five players should he be cut by Dallas before February 1, 1990:^[4]

One of those players that Minnesota agreed to send to Dallas, Darrin Nelson, refused to report to the Cowboys. Dallas then agreed to trade Nelson to the San Diego Chargers for their fifth round pick in 1990, which the Cowboys promptly sent to the Vikings. In total, this revised trade involved 18 players and draft picks (with the revised transactions involving San Diego in bold^[2]

To Dallas Cowboys	To Minnesota Vikings	To San Diego Chargers
LB Jesse Solomon LB David Howard CB Issiac Holt DE Alex Stewart Minnesota's 1st round pick in 1990 Minnesota's 2nd round pick in 1990 Minnesota's 6th round pick in 1990 Minnesota's 1st round pick in 1991 (conditional on cutting Solomon) Minnesota's 2nd round pick in 1991 (conditional on cutting Howard) Minnesota's 1st round pick in 1992 (conditional on cutting Holt) Minnesota's 2nd round pick in 1992 (condition met by trading away Nelson) Minnesota's 3rd round pick in 1992 (conditional on cutting Stewart)	RB Herschel Walker Dallas's 3rd round pick in 1990 San Diego's 5th round pick in 1990 Dallas's 10th round pick in 1990 Dallas's 3rd round pick in 1991	RB Darrin Nelson

The Vikings had originally assumed that they got the better end of the deal, not knowing at the time that head coach Jimmy Johnson was interested only in the draft picks and not the players. At a press conference after the trade, Johnson bragged that he committed "The Great Train Robbery," but was criticized by various sports writers 

This is like comparing the Pyramids to the Shed you built in your backyard ...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using JetNation.com mobile app

[GREENBEAN]

3 hours ago, Dunnie said:

This is like comparing the Pyramids to the Shed you built in your backyard ...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using JetNation.com mobile app
 

lol. 

Not quite but your attempt at condescension is understood if not appreciated   

[JohnnyLV]

Man that trade was just crazy. Conditional first rounders if you cut the player? WOW. Obviously the draft was still not held in the same regard as it is today. Of course in a way this trade is the reason the draft is so important today, with Jimmy creating the draft value concept which remains in play today. The Jamal trade for the Jets is amazing but the Walker trade with today's eyes is just nonsensical. Dallas might only get a single 1 for Walker today.

[GREENBEAN]

8 hours ago, johnnysd said:

Man that trade was just crazy. Conditional first rounders if you cut the player? WOW. Obviously the draft was still not held in the same regard as it is today. Of course in a way this trade is the reason the draft is so important today, with Jimmy creating the draft value concept which remains in play today. The Jamal trade for the Jets is amazing but the Walker trade with today's eyes is just nonsensical. Dallas might only get a single 1 for Walker today.

Exactly.  That was the trade that changed the NFL world. The draft has significantly more resources allocated to the whole process now.  A trade like that will Never happen again.  But there are parallels for us. 

In truth, This trade that our fresh new GM pulled together just might be the closest we will ever see.  That's how good this trade really was. Getting 3 premium picks and legit starter for a player and a day 3 pick is the finest value anyone has seen in years.  Better than the Kalil Mack and Ramsey trades hands down. As much as I liked the idea of Adams being a Jet for life, this trade simply can not be shat upon unless you are being emotional. 

Good stuff. how funny is it that JJ basically came out and said to the world that he pulled off a train heist??  lol. That guy had a sack on him.  And it looks like JD has one too. 

[JohnnyLV]

25 minutes ago, GREENBEAN said:

Exactly.  That was the trade that changed the NFL world. The draft has significantly more resources allocated to the whole process now.  A trade like that will Never happen again.  But there are parallels for us. 

In truth, This trade that our fresh new GM pulled together just might be the closest we will ever see.  That's how good this trade really was. Getting 3 premium picks and legit starter for a player and a day 3 pick is the finest value anyone has seen in years.  Better than the Kalil Mack and Ramsey trades hands down. As much as I liked the idea of Adams being a Jet for life, this trade simply can not be shat upon unless you are being emotional. 

Good stuff. how funny is it that JJ basically came out and said to the world that he pulled off a train heist??  lol. That guy had a sack on him.  And it looks like JD has one too. 

I think what Gase did is put a draft chart value on Adams that he needed to get maybe the same as the 6th pick we originally drafted him with and then worked from there  instead of just holding to two ones or something like that. I thought the most we get was a 1 and a 3, then after all the hullybalou I thought it went sub 1.  What we got is historic and remarkable. 

[GREENBEAN]

3 minutes ago, johnnysd said:

I think what Gase did is put a draft chart value on Adams that he needed to get maybe the same as the 6th pick we originally drafted him with and then worked from there  instead of just holding to two ones or something like that. I thought the most we get was a 1 and a 3, then after all the hullybalou I thought it went sub 1.  What we got is historic and remarkable. 

In all honesty I actually believe this whole "drama" was at the hands of Joe Douglas. He played the emotionally unhinged JA like a fiddle.  Let him do all the work on turning the fan base against him and knew the whole time he doesn't have to do a thing because he has control of Jamal for 4 more years if he wants it. JD is not dumb and this is not luck that he got what he did from the Hawks. 

That said, I agree with what you said. I didn't think this type of haul was possible after the antics either. I was hoping for a 1st and a quality starter.  OL or WR preferably.  This is MUCH better and I could not be happier.  JD has done well trading with the Seahawks this offseason. 

[rangerous]

go figure on some of these trades.  remember when ditka traded his entire draft for the right to draft ricky williams?

[Biggs]

1 minute ago, rangerous said:

go figure on some of these trades.  remember when ditka traded his entire draft for the right to draft ricky williams?

I remember when pot wasn't legal.  

[Warfish]

23 hours ago, johnnysd said:

Obviously the draft was still not held in the same regard as it is today. Of course in a way this trade is the reason the draft is so important today

 

13 hours ago, GREENBEAN said:

Exactly.  That was the trade that changed the NFL world.

You two nailed it.