Chicago sent guard Greg Horton to the Rams in April 1974 for…
Chicago sent guard Greg Horton to the Rams in April 1974 for 1975 third- and tenth-round draft choices. The third-round selection, No. 73, was later moved separately to San Diego for Cid Edwards; the sixth-round pick associated with Jim Harrison came from a different Bears-Chargers trade. Horton eventually became a useful Rams reserve, but Chicago's two-pick return gives the Bears a narrow C+ to C win.
Chicago Bears Received
- pick 1975 third round pick (#73-Mike Fuller; later traded to San Diego Chargers for Cid Edwards )
- pick 1975 tenth round pick (#254-Mike Julius)
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Greg Horton
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Chicago traded guard Greg Horton to the Los Angeles Rams in April 1974 for the Rams' 1975 third- and tenth-round draft choices. The third-rounder became No. 73 and the tenth-rounder became No. 254. One important cleanup is necessary when following the later pick chain: Chicago traded No. 73 to San Diego for Cid Edwards, while the sixth-round pick No. 151 arrived in a separate Jim Harrison transaction. Those later Chargers deals should not be merged into the Horton package.
Chicago Bears Return
The Bears received two draft assets for a young lineman. No. 73 gave Chicago enough value to acquire Cid Edwards in January 1975, while No. 254 was used on Mike Julius. Neither downstream piece became a franchise-defining star, but Chicago had two opportunities to redirect value and successfully converted the more important one into another veteran player. That is a useful return from a player the club was willing to move.
Los Angeles Rams Return
Horton did provide something for Los Angeles. Knee trouble wiped out his 1975 season, but the Rams' own historical material notes that he returned to play 14 games in 1976 and contributed on the offensive line and special teams. That production keeps the Rams from receiving a poor grade. At the same time, he did not become a long-term high-level starter who would clearly outweigh two draft assets.
Value in Hindsight
The Bears' advantage is modest. Chicago turned Horton into two picks and then repurposed the third-rounder, while Los Angeles received a useful but limited player whose early Rams tenure was interrupted by injury. Correctly separating the later Cid Edwards and Jim Harrison trades keeps the valuation from overstating Chicago's return.
Final Verdict
Chicago Bears Win is the proportional result. Chicago receives a C+ for two usable assets and a productive downstream conversion. Los Angeles receives a C because Horton eventually contributed after losing a season to injury. The deal favored Chicago, but only narrowly.