The Chicago Bears haven’t made a true blockbuster trade under GM Ryan Poles aside from dealing the #1 overall pick in 2023 for a long list of assets. They haven’t made an all-in move for a specific player like the Green Bay Packers did recently with Micah Parsons. Poles has made it clear he won’t do something like that unless it gives his team an unquestionable chance to win the Super Bowl. That is why the Bears were quiet at the trade deadline and are expected to remain so until the draft next spring.
However, a buzz is percolating around the league. Some wonder if one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks might soon be up for grabs. That is Joe Burrow. Recent comments from the former All-Pro have led to speculation that he might be looking for a way out of Cincinnati after two frustrating seasons without the playoffs.
This wouldn’t be the first time such a thing has happened. The Bengals also ran Carson Palmer out of town over a decade ago, largely due to their outdated operations and frugal approach. Jason McIntyre of The Herd wonders if the Bears might consider a calculated gamble to land Burrows.
The Chicago Bears have seen this template work before.
Their division rival Detroit Lions did it in 2021. Star quarterback Matthew Stafford didn’t want to endure another rebuild and asked for a trade. The franchise worked out a deal with the Los Angeles Rams. In exchange for Stafford, they would receive Jared Goff, two 1st round picks, and a 3rd round pick. The idea was that L.A. would acquire its upgrade at quarterback, while Detroit received a quality starter who still had some upside and the necessary picks to retool its roster. It ultimately worked out for both.
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The Rams won the Super Bowl that year, and the Lions built themselves into division champions.
Would the Chicago Bears do this? The allure is obvious. Burrow is a top five quarterback in the sport. His style of play, which is primarily pocket-oriented, would be a perfect fit for Ben Johnson’s offense. If Goff was an MVP candidate in that system, imagine what Burrow could be. The Bears would have the best QB in the conference, let alone the division. They could then focus their remaining resources on helping the defense.
It isn’t a totally insane idea. That said, the odds of it happening are astronomically low. Cincinnati has zero reasons to trade Burrow, and insiders haven’t received any credible evidence that the quarterback wants out. Maybe that will change sooner rather than later.
