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Chicago Bears: Wins Have Followed Their Trades for Pass Rushers

By Erik Lambert

LOS ANGELES - 1986: Defensive tackle Dan Hampton #99 of the Chicago Bears rushes after quarterback Marc Wilson #6 of the Los Angeles Raiders during a game in 1986 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - 1986: Defensive tackle Dan Hampton #99 of the Chicago Bears rushes after quarterback Marc Wilson #6 of the Los Angeles Raiders during a game in 1986 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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4 Sep 1994: Defensive lineman Trace Armstrong of the Chicago Bears (center) pulls down Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Craig Erickson during a game at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears won the game, 21-9.
4 Sep 1994: Defensive lineman Trace Armstrong of the Chicago Bears (center) pulls down Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Craig Erickson during a game at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears won the game, 21-9. /

Traded for Trace Armstrong (1989)

This is one of the more bittersweet stories in Bears history. Trace Armstrong was a really good football player, but most in Chicago don’t remember. There are a number of reasons for that. It starts, ironically enough, with the trade to acquire him. The Bears were embroiled in a contract dispute with star linebacker Wilber Marshall. Rather than paying him (there was no salary cap those days), they let him leave to sign with Washington. They ended up receiving two 1st rounders as compensation.

Composition:

  • Wilber Marshall to Washington
  • Redskins 1st round picks in 1988, 1989 (#27 – Wendall Davis, #12 – Armstrong) to the Bears

So it wasn’t technically a trade, but it actually was. Losing Marshall was upsetting for fans. It was a key piece of that iconic 1985 defense gone. Armstrong came in and was productive right away but he had that hanging over his head from the beginning. Even so, he had 42 sacks in six seasons with the Bears and helped them make the playoffs three times. One could argue he was a key reason they were able to extend their success into the ’90s.

In one last bit of irony, rather than continue to pay Armstrong, the Bears traded him out of town as well. He played nine more years, topping 10 sacks three more times.

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