1976 Expansion Draft

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JKelly
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1976 Expansion Draft

Post by JKelly »

Does a list exist of the players the existing 26 teams made available for the expansion draft?
TodMaher
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Re: 1976 Expansion Draft

Post by TodMaher »

JKelly wrote: Sun Jan 11, 2026 2:55 pm Does a list exist of the players the existing 26 teams made available for the expansion draft?
Yes, it exists, but it has never been made available to the public.
Gary Najman
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Re: 1976 Expansion Draft

Post by Gary Najman »

How many players were unprotected by team so that the Seahawks and Buccaneers could pick the players?

On a similar note, did Jim Zorn and BIll Munson were on the Expansion Draft and were picked by Seattle, or were traded like Steve Largent?

I also read many years ago that Ahmad Rashad was picked by Seattle before being traded to the Vikings. Is it true?
TodMaher
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Re: 1976 Expansion Draft

Post by TodMaher »

Gary Najman wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 3:46 pm How many players were unprotected by team so that the Seahawks and Buccaneers could pick the players?

On a similar note, did Jim Zorn and BIll Munson were on the Expansion Draft and were picked by Seattle, or were traded like Steve Largent?

I also read many years ago that Ahmad Rashad was picked by Seattle before being traded to the Vikings. Is it true?
Zorn was signed as a free agent. Munson was traded to Seattle. Yes, Rashad was signed as a free agent and then traded to Minnesota.

https://www.profootballarchives.com/dra ... draft.html
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JKelly
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Re: 1976 Expansion Draft

Post by JKelly »

TodMaher wrote: Sun Jan 11, 2026 4:25 pm
JKelly wrote: Sun Jan 11, 2026 2:55 pm Does a list exist of the players the existing 26 teams made available for the expansion draft?
Yes, it exists, but it has never been made available to the public.
Well that's a bummer. You would think that at some point it would have been released. Thank you.
Jay Z
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Re: 1976 Expansion Draft

Post by Jay Z »

Gary Najman wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 3:46 pm How many players were unprotected by team so that the Seahawks and Buccaneers could pick the players??
They could protect 29, then after a player was picked two more could be protected, then after a second player two more. After 3 they were done.

Everyone that they team had rights to, anyone on any sort of reserve list was eligible. This was the time of the WFL, so for all of the players who had played in the WFL in 1975, if their former NFL team had the rights they were eligible for the draft if they were unprotected. The Dolphins, for example, were compensated when Larry Csonka signed with the Giants in 1976, so he could have been drafted. The Seahawks or Buccaneers would have had to sign him or risk losing him and getting comped.

The Buccaneers did draft one player on the Eagles reserve list, Dan Yochum. He was a tackle who was drafted #2 in 1972 but went to Canada. He stayed in Canada until 1980 and never came to the NFL.
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