Chicago acquired Dontrelle Inman for a conditional 2018…
Chicago acquired Dontrelle Inman for a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick tied to his receiving production. Inman caught 23 passes for 334 yards and a touchdown for the Bears in 2017, falling short of the reported 25-reception threshold. The condition therefore did not produce a pick for Los Angeles. Chicago received eight games of useful receiver production without surrendering the draft asset, while the Chargers received no realized return from the condition.
Chicago Bears Received
- player Dontrelle Inman
Los Angeles Chargers Received
- pick a conditional 2018 pick (not conveyed)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The Chargers agreed in October 2017 to send wide receiver Dontrelle Inman to Chicago for a conditional 2018 draft pick. Contemporary team transaction pages confirm the exchange, while the surviving transaction ledger specifies the key condition: the pick would convey if Inman reached at least 25 receptions for the Bears during the 2017 season.
Los Angeles Chargers Return
Los Angeles did not realize the conditional asset. Inman finished his Bears portion of the season with 23 receptions, two short of the reported threshold, so the seventh-round pick was not exercised. The Chargers did clear a roster spot for a receiver who had fallen down their depth chart, but roster flexibility is not the same as receiving a trade asset. With no pick conveyed and no player coming back, the direct return is effectively zero. That warrants a D+ because the condition produced no realized return for Los Angeles.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago received measurable if modest production. Inman caught 23 passes for 334 yards and one touchdown after the trade, giving a thin Bears receiving corps an experienced target. He did not become a long-term fixture, but the team obtained those catches and yards without ultimately surrendering the conditional draft choice. A C+ reflects useful short-term production rather than star impact.
Value in Hindsight
This deal is a good example of why conditional terms must be resolved rather than left generic. Had the threshold been met, Los Angeles would have received a late pick and the comparison would be closer. It was not. The realized exchange left Chicago with a contributing receiver and the Chargers with no conveyed selection.
Final Verdict
Chicago Bears Win. The Bears receive C+ for 23 receptions, 334 yards and one touchdown at no realized draft cost. The Chargers receive D+ because the conditional seventh-rounder never conveyed. The outcome is modest in scale but clear once the condition is traced.