Cleveland received Ed Wade and Vannie Albanese from Chicago…
Cleveland received Ed Wade and Vannie Albanese from Chicago in the August 1938 exchange for Lou Gordon. Albanese's NFL career ended in 1938, and the available evidence does not show a durable Cleveland payoff from the incoming package. The limited post-trade value supports the Rams' existing C+ grade in an exchange with little separation.
Chicago Bears Received
- player Lou Gordon
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Ed Wade / Red Wade
- player Bannie Albanese / Vannie Albanese
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Chicago acquired veteran tackle Lou Gordon from the Cleveland Rams on August 12, 1938. Cleveland received Ed Wade and Vannie Albanese in return. Historical transaction sources support the three-player exchange, while the reader copy uses the standard player names without changing the frozen asset identities stored in the record.
Cleveland Rams Return
Cleveland received Wade and Albanese. Albanese had already played for Brooklyn and appeared in the NFL during 1938, but his league career ended that season. The available evidence does not establish a substantial long-term Rams payoff from either incoming player, leaving Cleveland with a short-lived and modest return.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago received Gordon, an experienced tackle who had previously played for the Cardinals and Packers. His Bears tenure was also brief: he appeared in two games and made one start for Chicago in 1938, his final NFL season. The Bears therefore gained an established veteran, but not a lasting contributor.
Value in Hindsight
Neither side turned the deal into durable franchise value. Cleveland's incoming package did not develop into a long-term Rams foundation, while Gordon's Chicago stint lasted only two games. The transaction looks more like a short-term reshuffling of veteran personnel than a deal that materially changed either club's direction.
Final Verdict
An Even Trade is still appropriate. Cleveland received two players but little lasting NFL value, and Chicago received a respected veteran whose Bears tenure was extremely short. Matching C+ grades capture the small separation between the returns and the absence of a meaningful long-term winner.