When Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus get together May 3 in Chicago at a roast to kick off the Gale Sayers Center, a children’s educational venue, they will be able to talk about at least one good old day that really did exist. It was the 1965 draft, when the Bears selected Butkus with the third overall pick and Sayers with the fourth.
One team drafting Hall of Fame players back to back happens about once. One team getting both the third and fourth picks is rare. Forgotten is that the Bears also had the sixth pick. They took Tennessee defensive end Steve DeLong, who signed with the rival American Football League and had a good seven-year career with San Diego before finishing with the Bears in 1972, a year after Sayers’ career ended and a year before Butkus’ did.
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These days, no team would even want three of the top six picks. Couldn’t afford it. The Bears, in fact, turned down a shot at Saturday’s sixth pick when they rejected the Washington Redskins’ offer to swap their No. 6 for the Bears’ No. 31 and disgruntled linebacker Lance Briggs.
The Bears said they wanted more, but general manager Jerry Angelo’s track record is to trade down, not up. For the moment, he remains content to sit at No. 31. History might be on his side.
“We always look to get the best value on draft day, and if we feel like we can get a player of equal ability later and save some money — not money that we want to put in the shareholders’ pockets, but money that we want to reallocate maybe in free agency — we will do that,” Angelo said.
“That was part of our strategy last year, and we were fortunate because we were able to do it.”
Last year the Bears traded out of the first round, giving up the 26th spot to Buffalo for two second-round picks they turned into safety Danieal Manning and defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek. They used their own second-round pick for kick returner Devin Hester.
The cost difference last year between the sixth and 31st spots was $10 million in guaranteed money. The sixth pick, tight end Vernon Davis, got a $15 million signing bonus from the 49ers. The 31st pick, cornerback Kelly Jennings, got $5 million from the Seahawks. Injury limited Davis to 10 games, and he caught 20 passes. Jennings played 16 games, had one interception and missed the playoffs because of injury.
There was not a $10 million difference in their rookie seasons.
Two years ago the sixth pick was cornerback Pacman Jones of the Titans, and the 31st pick was defensive tackle Mike Patterson of the Eagles. The difference in guaranteed money was slightly less than $10 million, but it is costing the Titans more than money. Jones has been suspended for the 2007 season after 10 run-ins with the law. Patterson has played all 32 games of his career, starting all 16 in 2006.
But three years ago the sixth pick was Kellen Winslow Jr., who played only two games for the Browns in his first two seasons because of injury but blossomed in 2006. Even with his troubles, Winslow was a far better pick than No. 31, receiver Rashaun Woods, a flop for the 49ers and Chargers who is out of football.
Going back four years, 31st pick Nnamdi Asomugha, a cornerback for the Raiders, has far exceeded sixth pick Johnathan Sullivan, a defensive tackle for the Saints who failed there and in New England.
Over the last 20 drafts, the difference between the sixth and 31st picks simply is not as significant as the cost, not even when the 31st pick used to be in the second round.
Angelo also might be particularly resistant to the sixth pick. Three times while he was working in personnel for Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers had the sixth pick.
In 1989 they took linebacker Broderick Thomas, a nephew of Mike Singletary’s who never allowed that influence to fully sink in. In 1993 the Bucs selected defensive end Eric Curry, who contributed little and was unable to help the Bucs avoid the sixth pick in 1994, when they took quarterback Trent Dilfer.
Dilfer eventually won a Super Bowl, but not for the Bucs.
It’s no wonder Angelo prefers working later on draft days.
“Why’d you have to mention that?” Angelo asked with a laugh Tuesday. “I’m on a roll.”
Differences between 6th and 31st picks
2006: No decision
6TH: TE Vernon Davis
Played but injured
31ST: CB Kelly Jennings
Played all season, injured before playoffs
2005 Clearly better
6TH: CB Pacman Jones
Played but now suspended
31ST: DT Mike Patterson
Solid starter
2004 Clearly better
6TH: TE Kellen Winslow Jr.
Injured but recovered
31ST: WR Rashaun Woods
Out of football
2003 Clearly better
6TH: DT Johnathan Sullivan
A flop with two teams
31ST: CB Nnamdi Asomugha
Eight interceptions in 2006
2002: Unhappy tie
6TH: DT Ryan Sims
Five years on roster but unproductive
31ST: LB Robert Thomas
Sub for three teams
2001: Happy tie
6TH: DL Richard Seymour
Pro Bowl star
31ST: TE Todd Heap
Pro Bowl star
Clearly better 2000
6TH: DT Corey Simon
One-time Pro Bowler out of football
31ST: RB Trung Canidate
Speed never translated
Slightly better 1999
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6TH: WR Torry Holt
Pro Bowl star
31ST: LB Al Wilson
Pro Bowl star just released
1998
6TH: DE Grant Wistrom
Decent career, just released by Seahawks
31ST: DT Leon Bender
Killed in accident before rookie season
Clearly better 1997
6TH: OT Walter Jones
All-world
31ST: DT Rick Terry
Out of league after three years
1996 Clearly better
6TH: RB Lawrence Phillips
Criminal
31ST: WR Alex Van Dyke
Journeyman
Clearly better 1995
6TH: DT Kevin Carter
Has never missed a game for three teams
31ST: OT Trezelle Jenkins
Short, unproductive career
1994 Better
6TH: QB Trent Dilfer
Won Super Bowl with Ravens
31ST: OL Tre Johnson
Productive nine-year career
1993 Clearly better
6TH: DE Eric Curry
Five-year underachiever
31ST: LB Chris Slade
Eight-year regular
1992 Clearly better
6TH: QB David Klingler
Never made it
31ST: WR Carl Pickens
Club?s all-time leading receiver
1991 Clearly better
6TH: DT Eric Swann
Decent career hampered by injury
31ST: LB Roman Phifer
15-year career, three Super Bowls
Clearly better 1990
6TH: S Mark Carrier
Seven-year starter
31ST: RB Anthony Thompson
Three years, 831 yards
Clearly better 1989
6TH: LB Broderick Thomas
Played nine years for four teams
31ST: WR Lawyer Tillman
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Played 37 games, 38 catches
Clearly better 1988
6TH: WR Tim Brown
Club?s all-time receiving leader
31ST: RB Ickey Woods
Good rookie year, brought Shuffle
1987 Clearly better
6TH: QB Kelly Stouffer
Didn?t sign; played four years in Seattle
31ST: RB Kenny Flowers
Played only 16 games
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