Chicago acquired Jimmy Herndon from Jacksonville for a 1998…
Chicago acquired Jimmy Herndon from Jacksonville for a 1998 seventh-round pick. Chicago acquired Jimmy Herndon but received only seven games from him. That brief stint produced limited value and did not become a lasting roster solution. For the Bears, the trade amounted to a short look at a player without the kind of sustained contribution needed to match what Jacksonville later received from the draft choice. In hindsight, that result supports a D+ grade for Chicago Bears in a deal ultimately judged as Jacksonville Jaguars Win.
Chicago Bears Received
- player Jimmy Herndon
Jacksonville Jaguars Received
- pick 1998 7th round pick (192nd overall, Alvis Whitted )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Chicago acquired Jimmy Herndon from Jacksonville on August 24, 1997, while Jacksonville received a 1998 seventh-round pick that became No. 192 Alvis Whitted. The transaction was modest in scale, so the fairest comparison is the football value each side actually received rather than the perceived value of the assets on the trade date. Team transaction histories and the downstream draft record support the core exchange, leaving the outcome to be judged on production and longevity.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago acquired Jimmy Herndon but received only seven games from him. That brief stint produced limited value and did not become a lasting roster solution. For the Bears, the trade amounted to a short look at a player without the kind of sustained contribution needed to match what Jacksonville later received from the draft choice. That body of work supports a D+ grade for Chicago Bears. The grade reflects the actual contribution tied to this exchange, not the player's broader reputation or the nominal value of the original asset.
Jacksonville Jaguars Return
Jacksonville received the 192nd pick in the 1998 draft and used it on Alvis Whitted. Whitted played fifty-seven games for the Jaguars over four seasons and contributed as both a receiver and returner. That longevity and role flexibility turned a seventh-round pick into a useful multi-year asset and clearly surpassed Chicago's return. That body of work supports a B grade for Jacksonville Jaguars. The result is measured against what the other side realized from the same transaction, with the size of the original deal keeping the grades proportional.
Value in Hindsight
This is a hindsight result built on realized value. Neither side should be credited simply for acquiring a recognizable name or a draft choice; the important question is what that asset became for the club that received it. In this case, Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars produced different levels of usable football value, and that separation is enough to choose a winner without overstating a relatively small trade.
Final Verdict
Jacksonville Jaguars Win. Chicago Bears receives a D+, while Jacksonville Jaguars receives a B. The winning side generated the stronger direct return from the documented exchange, while the other side still receives credit for whatever useful value it actually obtained. The margin is reflected in the grades rather than treated as a franchise-changing result.