the Rams received 2016 4th round pick (117th overall, Pharoh…
the Rams received 2016 4th round pick (117th overall, Pharoh Cooper), 2016 6th round pick (206th overall, Mike Thomas), while Chicago received 2016 4th round pick (113th overall, Nick Kwiatkoski). The hindsight grades are C for the Rams and B for Chicago. The verdict is grounded in the actual starts, production, tenure and downstream draft results produced by those assets.
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 2016 4th round pick (117th overall, Pharoh Cooper )
- pick 2016 6th round pick (206th overall, Mike Thomas )
Chicago Bears Received
- pick 2016 4th round pick (113th overall, Nick Kwiatkoski )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 2016-04-30, the Rams received 2016 4th round pick (117th overall, Pharoh Cooper), 2016 6th round pick (206th overall, Mike Thomas), while Chicago received 2016 4th round pick (113th overall, Nick Kwiatkoski). Hindsight is unusually useful here because the acquired assets now have a concrete NFL record. The grades can therefore be tied to what those players and picks actually produced for their new teams.
Los Angeles Rams Return
The Rams drafted Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas. Cooper's value came largely on special teams: in 2017 he returned 34 kickoffs for 932 yards and a touchdown plus 32 punts for 399 yards, earning a Pro Bowl berth and first-team All-Pro honors. Thomas spent four Rams seasons but caught only 10 passes for 144 yards. Those results are the basis for the Rams's C grade.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago drafted Nick Kwiatkoski at No. 113. He spent four seasons with the Bears and played 57 games. His best season came in 2019, when he totaled 73 tackles, three sacks, four passes defended, an interception and a safety. Chicago received a multi-year defensive contributor from the move. That record supports Chicago's B grade.
Value in Hindsight
The trade is best understood through those specific outcomes. The meaningful comparison is the actual games, starts, statistics, longevity and downstream draft use created by each side's return. A pick that was moved again is credited through the supported transaction chain, not by pretending the original team drafted a player it never selected.
Final Verdict
The verdict is Chicago Bears Win. The difference between the grades comes from the documented football return above, not from generic assumptions about veteran players or draft capital. Each side is credited for what its acquired assets actually delivered, and the result is judged on that team-specific production.