Denver sent 2014 picks No. 131 and No. 246 to Chicago for No.…
Denver sent 2014 picks No. 131 and No. 246 to Chicago for No. 156 and a 2015 fifth-rounder that became No. 143 before later movement. The Broncos selected Lamin Barrow with No. 156, but Chicago's No. 246 became Charles Leno, the trade's clear long-term value. That late-round success leaves Denver well behind in hindsight.
Denver Broncos Received
- pick 2014 5th round pick (#156, Lamin Barrow )
- pick 2015 5th round pick (#143; subsequently traded)
Chicago Bears Received
- pick 2014 4th round pick (#131, Brock Vereen )
- pick 2014 7th round pick (#246, Charles Leno )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Chicago traded 2014 fifth-round pick No. 156 and a 2015 fifth-round selection to Denver on May 10, 2014. The Bears received 2014 fourth-round pick No. 131 and seventh-round pick No. 246. Chicago used those selections on Brock Vereen and Charles Leno. Denver used No. 156 on Lamin Barrow, while the future fifth later became No. 143 before moving again.
Denver Broncos Return
Denver increased the number and future flexibility of its selections by moving down. Barrow was a legitimate fifth-round prospect, and the 2015 choice gave the Broncos another asset to maneuver with. The problem in hindsight is realized value: neither component of Denver's return matched the career Chicago ultimately received from Leno. The process was defensible, but the outcome remained ordinary.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago's move produced one of the most valuable possible outcomes from a seventh-round pick. Leno developed into a durable starting offensive lineman and became the defining asset of the trade. Vereen did not need to become a long-term starter for Chicago to win the exchange because the No. 246 selection alone created far more realized value than Denver's side generated.
Value in Hindsight
Draft-day trades are often judged by process and by what the selections became. Denver's decision to acquire two fifth-round assets was reasonable in the moment, but Chicago converted the extra seventh-round pick into a player with substantial career value. That kind of late-round hit can swing an otherwise balanced pick swap decisively after the fact.
Final Verdict
Chicago earns an A- and Denver a C. Leno's long-term starting value gives the Bears a clear advantage, while Denver's returns were useful but comparatively modest. The trade should be graded as a Chicago Bears Win, with the gap driven by player development and realized production rather than by an obviously lopsided draft-day price.