Chicago Bears received Howard Mudd, who played 18 games with…
Chicago Bears received Howard Mudd, who played 18 games with 11 starts across 1969-70 before his playing career ended. The team earns a C, compared with B+ for San Francisco 49ers, and the hindsight verdict is San Francisco 49ers Win. That judgment reflects the concrete team-specific production, role and tenure created by the assets in this deal.
Chicago Bears Received
- player Howard Mudd
San Francisco 49ers Received
- player Roosevelt Taylor / Rosey Taylor
- pick 1971 fifth round pick (#114-Dean Shaternick)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Chicago sent safety Rosey Taylor and a 1971 fifth-round pick to San Francisco for offensive lineman Howard Mudd during the 1969 season. The 49ers later used the pick, No. 114 overall, on Dean Shaternick. The return is therefore easy to separate into three concrete outcomes: Mudd's Bears service, Taylor's 49ers service, and whether Shaternick ever produced NFL value from the draft choice.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago did get real lineup help from Mudd. He played eight games with four starts for the Bears in 1969, then 10 games with seven starts in 1970, giving Chicago 18 games and 11 starts from the acquired lineman. His tenure was useful but brief, and his playing career ended after 1970. That is enough to keep the Bears at a respectable C rather than treating the return as a failed acquisition.
San Francisco 49ers Return
San Francisco's value came overwhelmingly from Taylor. He played eight games with six starts and intercepted two passes in 1969, then started all 14 games in 1970 with three interceptions and 11 of 12 games in 1971 with three more. Across those three seasons, Taylor gave the 49ers 34 games, 31 starts and eight interceptions. Shaternick, the player selected with the extra fifth-round pick, never appeared in an NFL regular-season game.
Value in Hindsight
The failed draft pick matters, but it does not erase Taylor's sustained secondary role. San Francisco received nearly three seasons of starting safety play and eight interceptions, including full-time work during the club's rise in 1970 and 1971. Chicago received 11 starts from Mudd over two seasons. Measured only by what the acquired assets did for their new clubs, Taylor alone produced considerably more durable lineup value than Mudd, while Shaternick added nothing.
Final Verdict
The existing B+ for San Francisco, C for Chicago and 49ers-win verdict hold up. Taylor's 31 starts and eight interceptions are the core of the victory; the Shaternick pick was a zero and should not be embellished. Mudd's 18 games and 11 starts gave Chicago legitimate value, just not enough volume or longevity to match Taylor's contribution.