It really is amazing how stubborn so many Chicago Bears fans are when it comes to the idea of trading for Deshaun Watson. Sure they want the franchise quarterback, but they don’t want to have to pay the necessary price to get him. Especially if it involves giving up players to do so. Houston Texans insider John McClain revealed the likely ballpark of a deal would involve two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, and two young defensive players.
The Bears are more than capable of offering that with names like Roquan Smith and Jaylon Johnson offering a ton of upside. Truth be told the actual price tag will be higher than that. Probably three 1st round picks. Even then it should be worth it for the Bears. The NFL is a quarterback-driven league and they’ve gone way too long without one.
Yet some fans don’t care. It’s too much. No team can survive that kind of trade.
Except they’re wrong. All they need to do is look at history for a reminder. Anybody who has followed the NFL has probably heard of the Herschel Walker trade. Back in 1989, the Dallas Cowboys were floundering. Head coach Jimmy Johnson knew a rebuild was necessary and needed draft picks to help it along. So he put star running back Walker on the trade block.
The Minnesota Vikings ended up outbidding everybody with easily the largest offer ever seen in league history.
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- 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)
Keep in mind those players listed weren’t just scrubs. Holt had eight interceptions in 1986. Solomon had 250 tackles and 4.5 sacks combined the two previous seasons. The Cowboys ended up cutting all of them to secure extra picks. In exchange, the Vikings received Walker and a few later picks from Dallas. Everybody remembers what happened next.
The Cowboys used those selections to assemble a roster of stars that eventually guided them to three Super Bowl titles in four years from 1992 to 1995. Walker? He proved a disappointment in Minnesota. While he did help them reach the playoffs that ’89 season, he failed to crack 1,000 yards in neither 1990 or 1991 and was eventually released. Based on what they gave up for him, that probably sent the Vikings into a decade-long death spiral right?
Not exactly.
Chicago Bears can still build a roster without high picks
People to this day don’t give Minnesota enough credit for what they accomplished during that period. Despite few high draft choices for a three-year span, they somehow managed to keep building their roster and would end up making the playoffs three-straight seasons from 1992 to 1994. How did they manage it? Here are some reasons.
Kept drafting well
Just because a team is low on high picks isn’t an excuse for them to suddenly stop drafting effectively. In that three-year period where they took the big hits, the Vikings still managed to select three future Pro Bowlers and four other players who would start at least five seasons in the NFL. This along with some other good players they’d acquired prior to the Walker trade sustained them through the dark period until they returned to the 1st round in 1993. Then immediately they selected another Pro Bowler.
Took a gamble on Cris Carter off waivers
Another part of the Vikings’ success came from their willingness to take calculated risks on players. Carter had a well-known history of drug problems in the late 1980s. That is why the Philadelphia Eagles cut him. Minnesota knew this but also knew the guy was a tremendous wide receiver. So they took a gamble claiming him off waivers, hoping he could sort his life out. Carter went on to eight Pro Bowls and a Hall of Fame career.
Signed John Randle as an undrafted free agent
The Chicago Bears also understand the value of finding talent in undrafted free agency. Minnesota scored one of the biggest ever in 1990. They signed him despite him being undersized (6’1, 290 lbs) as a defensive tackle. It didn’t take long for him to become a force on their defense with 9.5 sacks his second season. He went on to a Hall of Fame career himself. Somebody the Bears didn’t like seeing on Sundays.
In 10 seasons following the Walker trade, Minnesota made the playoffs seven times. They came one win away from the Super Bowl in 1998 after going 15-1. Not bad for a team that apparently gave their entire future away. Chicago doesn’t have to be so afraid. They’d be getting a star quarterback in their trade. Somebody who will likely be around for another 10 years. Pace, for all his criticisms, has proven he can find talent both later in the draft and in overlooked places of free agency. He’s a GM who is uniquely qualified to handle such long periods without high picks.
Don’t let a love affair for lottery tickets override the truth. The Chicago Bears would be better long-term with Watson in the fold.
