Chicago sent veteran end John Adams to the Los Angeles Rams…
Chicago sent veteran end John Adams to the Los Angeles Rams on May 1, 1963, for the 1964 second-round choice that became No. 21 Bill Martin of Georgia Tech. Adams gave Los Angeles 13 games, 10 starts and 93 receiving yards in 1963 before his NFL career ended. Martin played 28 games for Chicago across 1964-65 with 92 receiving yards. Both clubs received modest short-term value, making an even verdict more supportable than a lopsided Bears win.
Chicago Bears Received
- pick 1964 second round pick (#21-Billy Martin)
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player John Adams (Albert)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
On May 1, 1963, Chicago traded John Adams to the Los Angeles Rams for a 1964 second-round draft choice. The Bears' official all-time trade record and the draft-transaction trail agree on the date and package. Chicago ultimately used the acquired No. 21 selection on Georgia Tech end Bill Martin, giving the deal a clean player-for-future-pick comparison.
What Chicago Bears Got
Martin joined the Bears in 1964 and appeared in all 14 games that season, then played all 14 again in 1965. He was a reserve rather than a regular starter, finishing those two Chicago seasons with four receptions for 92 yards. He later became a more substantial player with Atlanta, but that production came after the Falcons selected him in the expansion draft. Chicago's direct return was therefore two seasons of available depth, not a star-level second-round payoff.
What Los Angeles Rams Got
Adams stepped into a larger immediate role. He played 13 games for Los Angeles in 1963 and started 10, catching nine passes for 93 yards. Those numbers were modest, but the starting workload shows that the Rams used him regularly. His NFL career ended after that season, so Los Angeles received only one year from the veteran.
Final Verdict
Even Trade is more defensible than the older heavy Chicago advantage. The Rams received one season from a 10-game starter with 93 receiving yards. The Bears received two seasons and 28 games from Martin, but he did not start and totaled 92 receiving yards for Chicago. Neither side converted the exchange into a long-term core asset. Both receive C+ grades: Los Angeles got more immediate role value, while Chicago got greater duration. The outcomes are too close and too modest to justify a clear winner.