Detroit moved up from the No. 19 pick to No. 17 and also…
Detroit moved up from the No. 19 pick to No. 17 and also gained the No. 58 choice, sending tight end Craig Cotton to Chicago in the exchange. The Bears did not actually draft Darryl Stingley with No. 19; they moved that pick to New England for running back Carl Garrett, and the Patriots selected Stingley. Garrett's productive 1973 season gives Chicago the stronger realized return.
Chicago Bears Received
- player Craig Cotton
- pick 1973 first round pick (#19; traded to New England for Carl Garrett ; Patriots selected Darryl Stingley)
Detroit Lions Received
- pick 1973 first round pick (#17-Earnest Price)
- pick 1973 third round pick (#58-John Brady)
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Actually Did
Detroit acquired the No. 17 pick and the No. 58 pick in the 1973 draft from Chicago while sending Craig Cotton and the No. 19 selection to the Bears. The important lineage point is that Chicago did not select Darryl Stingley. The Bears traded No. 19 to New England for Carl Garrett, and the Patriots then used the pick on Stingley.
Why Chicago's Conversion Matters
The first-round selection became useful immediately because Chicago turned it into an established runner. Garrett carried 175 times for 655 yards and five rushing touchdowns in 1973, while adding 23 catches for 292 yards. That was meaningful offensive production for a team trying to improve without waiting for a rookie to develop.
What Detroit Received
The Lions moved two spots higher in the first round and selected defensive lineman Earnest Price, then used the third-rounder on John Brady. Both were legitimate roster assets, but neither developed into a difference-maker who clearly justified giving up Cotton and the value embedded in No. 19. The move-up itself was modest, so the extra pick needed to deliver more.
Why the Lineage Changes the Story
Calling No. 19 the Darryl Stingley pick makes the Bears' side look as though Chicago simply surrendered a future player it never controlled. The more accurate chain shows that Chicago actively converted the choice into Garrett. That realized veteran value is central to the evaluation and gives the Bears a stronger case than a simple draft-slot comparison suggests.
Final Verdict
Chicago wins and earns a B for converting the outgoing pick into a productive veteran while also receiving Cotton. Detroit gets a C+ because the Lions acquired two legitimate draft assets and were not fleeced on paper. The difference is that Chicago extracted more immediate, measurable NFL production from its side of the exchange.