Don Meredith
Don MeredithIt became clear by the start of the 1950s that the Bears were beginning to struggle at identifying quality quarterbacks. A problem that has persisted in the decades since then. One of their most egregious blunders over than span was willingly drafting Don Meredith and then shipping him to the Dallas Cowboys for a third round pick. The idea at the time was the Bears were helping the expansion team get off to a solid start and made the pick of Meredith as a gesture of good will.
No matter how one spins it, the Bears made a mistake. They should’ve found a way to keep him. Instead Meredith helped elevate the Cowboys to contenders by the late 1960s. A three-time Pro Bowler, he led them to the NFL championship two years-in-a-row. Try to imagine what might’ve happen had the Bears had him under center with Gale Sayers at running back over that span. Actually, scratch that. Don’t imagine it. Way too painful.
