They say sometimes the most important move is the one you don’t make. In 1983, the Chicago Bears almost flipped the #6 pick to the Los Angeles Raiders for defensive end Howie Long. Nobody is certain why it fell through, but it ultimately did. While getting the future Hall of Fame pass rusher would’ve been amazing, it also meant the Bears wouldn’t have drafted Jimbo Covert. Most of the moves a team doesn’t make rarely come to light. However, when they do, it can lead to fascinating what-if discussions.
For a short time this offseason, the Bears had the makings of a plan in place. According to a source, the idea was that the team would trade wide receiver D.J. Moore to an interested party and then trade the assets received in a package for star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson from Cincinnati. It was felt that Ben Johnson could handle the loss of Moore on offense, while the defense got a massive upgrade from Montez Sweat. Ultimately, the Bears got cold feet and never pressed the matter.
The Chicago Bears were probably right to nix the idea.
No doubt the trade would’ve been hugely beneficial to the defense. A Sweat-Hendrickson combination would’ve been lethal. However, it also would have been temporary and weakened Caleb Williams’ arsenal of weapons. Moore is liked and respected in the locker room. Johnson feels he can be a huge benefactor of the new offense. Hendrickson turns 31 this year. There is no telling how much gas is left in the tank. Moore is 28. Wide receivers tend to have longer shelf lives than defensive linemen. It was probably the wise decision.
Finding that second pass rusher remains a priority for the Chicago Bears. The goal is to do so without weakening another part of the roster to make it happen. Until then, they’re content with who they have.
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