Buffalo traded defensive tackle Darwin Walker to Chicago in…
Buffalo traded defensive tackle Darwin Walker to Chicago in July 2007 for a 2008 fifth-round pick that became No. 143 overall. The Bills later packaged No. 143 with a third-round pick to acquire Marcus Stroud from Jacksonville.
Buffalo Bills Received
- pick 2008 fifth-round pick, No. 143 overall (later included in Marcus Stroud trade)
Chicago Bears Received
- player Darwin Walker
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Chicago's official 2007 transaction log says the Bears sent an undisclosed 2008 draft pick to Buffalo for Darwin Walker. Buffalo club game notes later identify the asset precisely as the 2008 fifth-round pick at No. 143 overall. The 2008 draft trade ledger independently traces No. 143 from Chicago to Buffalo in the Walker deal.
Chicago Return
Walker gave the Bears one season of rotational and starting defensive-tackle value. NFL records show 11 games, seven starts, 17 combined tackles and one sack in 2007. He was no longer with Chicago in 2008, when he played for Carolina.
Buffalo Return
Buffalo did not use No. 143 as a standalone selection. In March 2008 the Bills sent their third-round pick at No. 71 and the Walker-derived No. 143 to Jacksonville for Marcus Stroud. Stroud then played 46 games with 45 starts for Buffalo from 2008 through 2010, totaling 7.5 sacks. The fifth-rounder was only part of that acquisition, so the full Stroud return cannot be credited to this trade alone.
Hindsight Comparison
Chicago received one partial season of starting value from Walker. Buffalo preserved a fifth-round asset and later used it as secondary currency in a trade for a three-year starter. Even after discounting Stroud because Buffalo also surrendered a third-rounder, the Bills extracted the stronger downstream value.
Final Verdict
Buffalo Bills Win, B- to C+. Chicago received useful but short-lived depth; Buffalo turned the pick into a meaningful component of the Marcus Stroud acquisition.