Kansas City acquired the rights to defensive lineman George…
Kansas City acquired the rights to defensive lineman George Seals from Chicago on September 7, 1972 and sent the Bears a 1973 first-round pick, No. 17. Chicago later used that premium asset in another trade, preserving substantial flexibility from a player-rights transaction. The Chiefs did not receive enough long-term value from Seals to offset a first-round price, giving the Bears a clear win.
Chicago Bears Received
- pick 1973 first round pick (#17) [later traded with 1973 third round pick (#58-John Brady) to Detroit Lions for Craig Cotton and 1973 first round pick (#19-Darryl Stingley)]
Kansas City Chiefs Received
- other rights to George Seals
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
On September 7, 1972, Chicago traded the rights to George Seals to Kansas City for the Chiefs’ 1973 first-round selection. Bears and Chiefs historical records support the exchange. The acquired choice became No. 17 in the 1973 draft, giving Chicago a premium asset rather than a late-round lottery ticket.
What Kansas City Received
Kansas City was acquiring the rights to a veteran defensive lineman with an established professional résumé. That type of move can be justified when a club believes the player fills an immediate need. The problem in hindsight is the price. Seals did not provide the Chiefs with enough sustained impact to match the opportunity cost of a first-round selection.
What Chicago Received
The Bears gained substantial flexibility. Rather than simply using No. 17, Chicago later moved that first-round choice in another transaction involving Detroit. That downstream use matters because it shows the pick remained a high-value trade asset even before considering which player might have been selected. Chicago successfully converted player rights into premium draft currency. The deal also illustrates why premium draft currency carries so much hindsight weight: even when the receiving club later reroutes the choice, it retains leverage that a short-term player-rights acquisition may not match.
Final Verdict
First-round choices are difficult to justify surrendering for short-lived or limited returns. Kansas City got the player rights it sought, so the Chiefs were not left completely empty-handed, but Chicago held the much stronger asset position. B+ for the Bears reflects a major value win, while C- for Kansas City reflects the heavy price without turning the deal into an exaggerated franchise catastrophe.