New England received Chicago's 1974 second-round pick, used…
New England received Chicago's 1974 second-round pick, used on Steve Corbett, plus the fourth-round pick at No. 82, which the Patriots later moved to Pittsburgh for Ralph Anderson. Chicago acquired Tom Reynolds, Ken Lee, and the pick used on Ken Grandberry. Grandberry's productive 1974 season gives the Bears a slight edge, but New England also extracted legitimate value.
Chicago Bears Received
- player Tom Reynolds / Tommy Reynolds
- player Ken Lee
- pick 1974 eighth round pick (#190-Ken Grandberry)
New England Patriots Received
- pick 1974 second round pick (#30-Steve Corbett)
- pick 1974 fourth round pick (#82, later traded to Pittsburgh Steelers for Ralph Anderson)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
The 1973 exchange gave New England two 1974 selections from Chicago: a second-rounder at No. 30 and a fourth-rounder at No. 82. Chicago received Tom Reynolds, Ken Lee, and an eighth-round choice that became No. 190. New England used No. 30 on guard Steve Corbett, but the No. 82 selection should not be credited to the Patriots as John Stallworth. New England moved that choice to Pittsburgh and received defensive back Ralph Anderson, while Pittsburgh used the pick on Stallworth.
Chicago Return
The Bears found useful immediate value from the package. Reynolds appeared for Chicago in 1973, and the later eighth-round choice became running back Ken Grandberry. Grandberry played all 14 games in 1974, rushing for 475 yards and two touchdowns, catching 30 passes for 212 yards, and adding substantial kickoff-return work. That was meaningful one-season production from a late selection and gives Chicago a strong realized component beyond the veteran players received.
New England Return
The Patriots also did considerably better than the old one-sided grading suggested. Corbett appeared in 14 games for New England in 1975 as a reserve guard. More importantly for the asset trail, New England converted the No. 82 pick into Ralph Anderson. Anderson played 13 games with 11 starts for the 1973 Patriots and intercepted two passes. His value belongs to New England's handling of the acquired pick, while Stallworth's Hall of Fame career belongs to Pittsburgh and should not be credited directly to the Patriots.
Final Verdict
Chicago wins narrowly. Grandberry's productive 1974 season, combined with the veteran portion of the return, slightly exceeds New England's Corbett-and-Anderson value. B for Chicago and B- for New England reflects a competitive trade in which both clubs realized football value, rather than an A-versus-D mismatch driven by incorrectly crediting Stallworth directly to New England.