Chicago Bears: 5 draft picks they gave up on too soon

01. Erich Barnes

People don’t understand how truly special the 1958 draft class could’ve been for the Chicago Bears. Not only did they draft Howley in the 1st round, but so many forget the incredible gem they scored in the 4th that same year in Erich Barnes. Through his first two years, he looked tremendous with nine interceptions. However, he failed to record one in 1960. This apparently disappointed Halas so much that the Bears traded him to the New York Giants.

That first year with his new team, Barnes had seven interceptions and returned two of them for touchdowns. He would play another 11 years in the league, reaching six Pro Bowls and collecting a further 36 interceptions overall. While the Bears did get quarterback Bill Wade in that deal, the fact is Barnes was a far better player who could’ve been arguably the greatest cornerback in Bears history. A telling reminder that one down season cannot and should not define a career.