Chicago acquired the NFL rights to Greg Latta and Noah…
Chicago acquired the NFL rights to Greg Latta and Noah Jackson in two same-day deals with Baltimore, while also receiving the Colts’ 1976 seventh-round selection. Latta played five seasons for Chicago and Jackson became a long-term starting guard. Baltimore received four selections that produced Dave Pear, Steve Joachim, Derrel Luce and Sanders Shiver, making this a productive exchange for both clubs but a slight Bears win.
Chicago Bears Received
- other rights to Greg Latta
- other rights to Noah Jackson
- pick 1976 seventh round pick (#201-Ed Bauer)
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1975 third round pick (#56-Dave Pear)
- pick 1975 seventh round pick (#160-Steve Joachim)
- pick 1975 seventh round pick (#168-Derrel Luce)
- pick 1976 fifth round pick (#134-Sanders Shiver)
Trade Analysis
The Two January Deals
Baltimore and Chicago completed two rights transactions on January 28, 1975. The Colts’ 1975 media guide lists Greg Latta’s rights for the 1975 third-round choice that became Dave Pear and the seventh-round choice that became Steve Joachim. It separately lists Noah Jackson’s rights for the 1975 seventh-round choice that became Derrel Luce plus an undisclosed 1976 choice. A later Colts transaction history identifies that future selection as No. 134 Sanders Shiver and also records Baltimore’s No. 201 pick going to Chicago.
What Chicago Received
The Bears turned those rights deals into two players with substantial Chicago tenure. Greg Latta appeared in 73 games over five Bears seasons, catching 90 passes for 1,081 yards and seven touchdowns. Noah Jackson became the larger prize: NFL records show 127 career starts, with nine seasons in Chicago before his final year in Tampa Bay. That kind of durable offensive-line continuity carries significant value beyond the modest draft capital Chicago surrendered.
What Baltimore Received
The Colts did not come away empty. Dave Pear played his rookie season in Baltimore before producing most of his career elsewhere. Derrel Luce appeared in 56 games for the Colts and made 21 starts from 1975 through 1978. Sanders Shiver became an even more durable Baltimore defender, playing 112 games across eight Colts seasons and starting 50. Steve Joachim did not provide comparable NFL value, but the overall four-pick return produced two useful linebackers.
Final Verdict
Chicago wins narrowly because Jackson supplied nearly a decade of starting line play and Latta added five productive seasons. Baltimore’s return was respectable enough to keep this close: Shiver and Luce both became real contributors, and the Colts created multiple chances from rights they were willing to move. The Bears receive a B+ for securing two long-term players; Baltimore earns a B for converting the rights package into several useful selections but falling short of Chicago’s combined team-specific longevity.