The St. Louis Cardinals, represented here by the franchise's…
The St. Louis Cardinals, represented here by the franchise's modern Arizona identity, traded running back Eddie Moss to Chicago on May 19, 1976, for a future draft choice. Contemporary reports did not publish the round, and a durable downstream pick outcome is not established. Moss was released by Chicago in July and never played a regular-season game for the Bears.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- pick future draft choice
Chicago Bears Received
- player Eddie Moss
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The St. Louis Cardinals traded running back Eddie Moss to the Chicago Bears on May 19, 1976. Contemporary newspaper accounts described Chicago's compensation as a future draft choice, while surviving historical material does not establish a reliable round or a clearly traceable drafted player from that consideration. The modern franchise label is Arizona Cardinals, but the club was based in St. Louis when the trade occurred.
Arizona's Return
The Cardinals received the commitment of a future draft choice, yet the surviving evidence does not support assigning a specific round or downstream player to it. That uncertainty limits how much value can responsibly be credited to St. Louis. What is clear is that the club moved Moss in May and later brought him back after Chicago released him, so it did not permanently lose the player.
Chicago's Return
The Bears' side was short-lived. Historical transaction records show Chicago acquired Moss in May and released him on July 20, before the regular season. He did not appear in a regular-season game for the Bears in 1976. By late November, Moss was back with St. Louis and appeared in two games for the Cardinals, leaving Chicago without on-field production from the acquisition.
Value in Hindsight
The trade was real, but the exact fate of the future draft consideration cannot be tied confidently to a specific selection. That makes a dramatic winner inappropriate. Chicago received no regular-season value from Moss, while St. Louis at least negotiated future draft consideration and later reacquired the player. Without a confirmed pick outcome, however, assigning substantial realized value to the Cardinals would go beyond the surviving record.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Both teams receive a C. Chicago's acquired player was released before the season, while St. Louis' future draft consideration lacks a securely documented downstream result. The Cardinals may have held the better position, but the evidence supports only a neutral final grade rather than an invented pick outcome or an exaggerated victory.