Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Bit of an obscure one, but Bears 1978 10th round pick (#271) Ben Zambiasi, a LB from Georgia, didn't make the cut with the Bears. At 6'0" and 212 he was somewhat undersized. He wound up playing in Canada with Hamilton (1978-87) and Toronto (1988) and was inducted in to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Sam Mills was cut by the Browns in the early 1980's.

I've been trying to think of 49ers that fit this description but mostly what I come up with are guys who played well for the Niners for a period of time but finished their still productive careers with other teams.

Joe Montana, Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott fit that description as does Y.A. Tittle.

And of course, in my opinion, they kept T.O. too long.

Any Niners from before my time (or during) that come to mind?

JuggernautJ wrote:I've been trying to think of 49ers that fit this description but mostly what I come up with are guys who played well for the Niners for a period of time but finished their still productive careers with other teams.

Joe Montana, Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott fit that description as does Y.A. Tittle.

And of course, in my opinion, they kept T.O. too long.

Any Niners from before my time (or during) that come to mind?

John Henry Johnson, Hugh McElhenny, Joe Perry (with Tittle, that makes the whole million dollar backfield), Frankie Albert (Canada). I am sure that there are more.

The Browns traded Doug Atkins & Ken Gorgal to the Bears for 1956 3rd & 6th round picks.

The Browns used the picks on ends Larry Ross & Sherman Plunkett. Plunkett had an all-pro career, but not with the Browns.

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Johnny Lujack, Bill George, Joe Fortunato & Willie Galimore were all Future Selections.

Saban wrote:

JuggernautJ wrote:I've been trying to think of 49ers that fit this description but mostly what I come up with are guys who played well for the Niners for a period of time but finished their still productive careers with other teams.

Joe Montana, Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott fit that description as does Y.A. Tittle.

And of course, in my opinion, they kept T.O. too long.

Any Niners from before my time (or during) that come to mind?

John Henry Johnson, Hugh McElhenny, Joe Perry (with Tittle, that makes the whole million dollar backfield), Frankie Albert (Canada). I am sure that there are more.

I agree and thought of those guys too.
But wouldn't you say they all had the majority of their success with the 49ers?

I'm trying to think of a future gem that the Niners shipped out before he peaked.
I'm sure there are many but I just can't think of one.

John Henry Johnson had some pretty good years for Detroit and Pittsburgh.

Paul Brown got some good players from other teams. Conversely, those players were ones that got away from other teams.

One of the best early trades was getting Dub Jones and $25,000. (a lot of money in 1948) for a a single wing tailback named Bob Chappuis.

Some more Cleveland pick ups lost to other teams were: Weldon Humble, Alex Agase, Forrest "Chubby" Grigg, Darrell Palmer, Bob Gain, Walt Michaels, George Ratterman, Don Colo, Mike McCormack, Tom Catlin, Herschell Forester, Darrell Brewster, Art Hunter, Fred "Curley" Morrison, Don Paul, Ed "Big Mo" Modzelewski, John Wooten, Gern Nagler, John Morrow, Don Fleming, Sam Baker, John Brewer, Gary Collins, Frank Ryan, Bill Glass, and Ernie Green.

BD Sullivan wrote:

Saban wrote:

JeffreyMiller wrote:The Browns had Cookie Gilchrist ...

Jim Brown and Cookie Gilchrist in the same backfield. That would have been interesting.

Gilchrist had just turned 19 and had been playing high school football the year before. The Browns had to get special permission from Bert Bell to sign him in June 1954, with Bell giving it after supposedly talking with the principal at Gilchrist's high school, who essentially indicated that he probably wouldn't have the grades to get into college.

At that period, Gilchrist was just too raw for the Browns to have the luxury of keeping him. They had to squeeze in as much versatility as they could among their 33(?)-man roster, though it's not like there was a wealth of talent in the backfield. Maurice Bassett led the team in rushing that year--and he didn't even break 600 yards.

I saw Maurice Bassett in 1954 and was impressed with him. He was a rookie, but thought he did a good job. I was looking for him to become a big star. I was surprised in 1955 when he was replaced as the starting fullback by Ed Modzelewski, who was acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh for Marion Motley.

In 1954, Cleveland was still mostly a passing team with Graham and receivers like Dante Lavelli, Dub Jones, Ray Renfro, and Darrell Brewster.

JuggernautJ wrote:

Saban wrote:

JuggernautJ wrote:I've been trying to think of 49ers that fit this description but mostly what I come up with are guys who played well for the Niners for a period of time but finished their still productive careers with other teams.

Joe Montana, Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott fit that description as does Y.A. Tittle.

And of course, in my opinion, they kept T.O. too long.

Any Niners from before my time (or during) that come to mind?

John Henry Johnson, Hugh McElhenny, Joe Perry (with Tittle, that makes the whole million dollar backfield), Frankie Albert (Canada). I am sure that there are more.

I agree and thought of those guys too.
But wouldn't you say they all had the majority of their success with the 49ers?

I'm trying to think of a future gem that the Niners shipped out before he peaked.
I'm sure there are many but I just can't think of one.

Ricky Watters, Ted Washington, Wesley Walls, Bill Romanowski, and if you really want to stretch the meaning of "gem", Alex Smith and Delanie Walker....