Seattle moved up from No. 68 to No. 49 in 2009 and landed…
Seattle moved up from No. 68 to No. 49 in 2009 and landed center Max Unger, who became a long-term starter, a first-team All-Pro and a Super Bowl champion with the Seahawks. Chicago received Jarron Gilbert and Henry Melton; Melton developed into a productive interior defender and a Pro Bowler, giving the Bears real value even though Unger became the best player in the exchange.
Chicago Bears Received
- pick 2009 3rd round pick (68th overall, Jarron Gilbert)
- pick 2009 4th round pick (105th overall, Henry Melton)
Seattle Seahawks Received
- pick 2009 2nd round pick (49th overall, Max Unger )
Trade Analysis
Seattle's move up in the 2009 second round was a straightforward bet on a center the club believed could stabilize its offensive line. The Seahawks sent picks 68 and 105 to Chicago for No. 49 and selected Oregon's Max Unger. Chicago used the extra volume on defensive linemen Jarron Gilbert and Henry Melton, giving the deal a legitimate two-player return rather than a simple miss.
Unger quickly justified the move. He became Seattle's starting center, earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2012, made multiple Pro Bowls and started in the middle of the line for the team that won Super Bowl XLVIII. His value extended beyond individual recognition: he handled protections and interior communication for an offense built around Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson. Seattle later included Unger in the 2015 trade for Jimmy Graham, so the original selection also retained meaningful value after six seasons with the Seahawks.
Chicago did not come away empty-handed. Gilbert never developed into a significant contributor, but Melton did. The fourth-rounder became a disruptive three-technique in Lovie Smith's defense, recorded seven sacks in 2011 and six in 2012, and earned a Pro Bowl selection. Injuries shortened his final Bears season, yet his peak gave Chicago several years of useful interior pass rush from a pick acquired by moving down.
The comparison therefore is not a landslide. Chicago found a good starter with the extra fourth-rounder, which deserves more credit than the old C grade allowed. But Seattle acquired the premium player: an All-Pro center who anchored a championship line and remained valuable enough to headline another major trade. Seattle earns an A, Chicago a B, and the Seahawks hold the historical edge.