Chicago moved from No. 40 to No. 38 in the 1981 draft and…
Chicago moved from No. 40 to No. 38 in the 1981 draft and selected Mike Singletary, the future Hall of Fame middle linebacker who made 10 consecutive Pro Bowls and won two Defensive Player of the Year awards. San Francisco still received enormous value at No. 40 with cornerback Eric Wright, a two-time Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl champion. The Bears win, but both teams struck gold.
Chicago Bears Received
- pick 1981 second round pick (#38-Mike Singletary)
San Francisco 49ers Received
- pick 1981 second round pick (#40-Eric Wright)
- pick 1981 fifth round pick (#122-Arrington Jones)
Trade Analysis
Why Chicago Moved Up
The Bears moved only two spots, from No. 40 to No. 38, because they wanted Baylor linebacker Mike Singletary. The cost was a fifth-round selection, a modest premium for a targeted player. Singletary quickly became the center of Chicago's defense and ultimately one of the defining linebackers of his era.
What Singletary Became
Singletary started 172 games during 12 seasons with Chicago. The Pro Football Hall of Fame credits him with 10 consecutive Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro selections. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and 1988 and anchored the defense of the 1985 Super Bowl champions.
How San Francisco Still Won Big
The 49ers used No. 40 on cornerback Eric Wright. Wright was not a consolation prize. He played 110 games for San Francisco, intercepted 18 passes, earned two Pro Bowls and a first-team All-Pro selection, and was part of four Super Bowl championship teams. The fifth-round pick, Arrington Jones, added little, but Wright alone made the return excellent.
Why Chicago Gets the Final Edge
This trade produced elite outcomes on both sides, which makes a low grade for San Francisco impossible to defend. Wright was a core player on one of football's great dynasties. Singletary, however, reached an even higher individual level, becoming a Hall of Famer and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Final Verdict
Chicago earns an A+ and San Francisco an A. The Bears win because Singletary became an all-time franchise and league great, but the 49ers also landed a championship cornerback at the pick they received. This is a rare trade where one side can win without the other side losing.