Dallas sent Jay Saldi to Chicago and received the 1984…
Dallas sent Jay Saldi to Chicago and received the 1984 sixth-round pick at No. 152, which became linebacker Eugene Lockhart. Saldi gave the Bears 28 games and 13 starts over 1983-84, with 21 receptions for 209 yards. Lockhart became a seven-season Dallas mainstay, playing 104 games with 96 starts from 1984 through 1990 and producing 16 sacks and six interceptions in his Cowboys tenure. Chicago got useful short-term depth; Dallas found a long-term defensive starter.
Chicago Bears Received
- player Jay Saldi
Dallas Cowboys Received
- pick 1984 sixth round pick (#152- Eugene Lockhart )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Dallas traded tight end Jay Saldi to Chicago on June 1, 1983 for the Bears’ 1984 sixth-round pick. The selection became No. 152, and Dallas used it on linebacker Eugene Lockhart. Unlike many older player-for-pick deals, the draft chain is direct and complete, so the selected player can be credited to the Cowboys without any downstream-provenance caveat.
Dallas Cowboys Return
Dallas turned the sixth-rounder into Lockhart, who became a major long-term contributor. He played 15 games with eight starts as a rookie in 1984 and then remained a regular through 1990. Across seven Dallas seasons he appeared in 104 games and started 96. NFL records also credit him with 16 sacks and six interceptions during his Cowboys run. That is unusually strong return from a sixth-round selection and merits an A-.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago received Saldi, an experienced tight end who provided useful but shorter-term service. He played 13 games with six starts for the Bears in 1983 and 15 games with seven starts in 1984. Over those two seasons he caught 21 passes for 209 yards. Saldi was not a throwaway asset; he filled a real role for two seasons. Chicago receives a C+ for dependable depth and spot-starting value.
Value in Hindsight
The value gap comes from duration and role. Chicago received immediate veteran utility, which keeps the deal from being a one-sided failure. Dallas, however, used a sixth-round selection on a player who became a seven-year defensive regular and started nearly 100 games for the Cowboys. The trade is a strong example of a late-round pick becoming materially more valuable than the veteran exchanged for it.
Final Verdict
Dallas Cowboys Win decisively, A- to C+. Saldi gave Chicago legitimate two-season service, but Lockhart's 104 games, 96 starts and multi-season production created a much larger Dallas return. The grade gap reflects the concrete receiving-team production of the veteran and the sixth-round selection.