The Chicago Bears seem to take a home run swing on the trade market every decade or so. They flipped two 1st round picks to Denver for Jay Cutler in 2009. Then they did it again in 2018 to secure Khalil Mack from the Oakland Raiders. Sure enough, around 8 years later, it was general manager Ryan Poles’ turn. He went in a different direction, sending two 1sts to the Tennessee Titans for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. It was the highest price ever paid for a player at that position in NFL history. Inevitably, some experts felt Poles gave up too much.

Reports indicated that Tennessee had repeatedly rebuffed other teams the moment they asked after Simmons. Poles, who knew Titans GM Mike Borgonzi, probably understood that the only way to get his foot in the door was by coming in with a high offer immediately.

It worked.

The two sides worked out a deal that sent the 29-year-old All-Pro to the division-leading Bears. Just two weeks later, it appears some people have changed their opinions on the cost of that trade. That includes ESPN. Benjamin Solak explained why it’s suddenly looking like a serious bargain for the Bears.

“It’s important to evaluate trades in a vacuum, and two firsts for Simmons was a steep price no matter which way you slice it. But it does bear saying: That trade looks so much less expensive when you see the price the Jaguars paid for Davis, a player who simply (1) does not play as many snaps as Simmons, (2) does not play as many high-value snaps as Simmons does, (3) is not as productive as Simmons on the snaps that they play and (4) has not produced as consistently as Simmons has.

The Bears’ GM moved all-in for a defensive tackle just like James Gladstone and the Jaguars did. The playoffs will decide how history views these trades. But the Bears sure got a lot of cover this week, and that’s never a bad thing.”

Jeffery Simmons impacts games far more significantly.

This is not to say Jordan Davis is a bad player. He’s been plenty solid throughout his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, helping them win a title in 2024. However, he has always had limitations. He isn’t much use as an interior pass rusher. His run defense was his primary selling point, and even that seemed to taper off in the past year or two. Jacksonville likely felt they had the infrastructure to maximize what he does best and were willing to pay a premium to get him. Remember, Philadelphia drafted him in the 1st round, yet still shipped him out for a 1st and 2nd.

Davis has 9.5 sacks in his career (4.5 seasons). Jeffery Simmons already has 6 this year alone. If that weren’t enough to convince you that the Bears got a way better deal? Simmons has more run stops (16) than Davis (15) does this season as well. He is a far superior pass rusher and an equally good run defender. When they say the man is a superstar, they’re not kidding. If you’re going to give up two 1st round picks for anybody, it’s a guy like that. Better still, the deal looks increasingly favorable from the Bears’ perspective.

The more the Bears win, the cheaper it gets.

Winning games automatically decreases the value of 1st round picks. That is the nature of the draft. The Bears are currently 7-2. Presuming they make the playoffs, that guarantees them at least the 21st pick in the draft, which is worth 800 points. By contrast, the 10th pick is worth 1,300 points. With every win in the postseason Chicago has, the less valuable that pick becomes. If they can make the playoffs twice over the next two seasons, they can make to where those two 1st round picks work out to the value of one 1st round pick.

The odds of hitting a pick in the mid-to-late 20s are around 25-35%. That is for finding a starter. Finding a player like Simmons? Those odds get way longer. The Bears were essentially willing to trade two possible starting players for 4-5 years of peak Simmons. It is a worthwhile gamble from their perspective, and ESPN seems to agree. A rare concession for them.

By now, most people have reached the conclusion that Chicago Bears fans did at the end of last season. Ben Johnson is an excellent head coach. Everybody knew he was a great play caller. That had been proven in Detroit. What wasn’t certain was whether he could fill the captain’s chair, so to speak. Could he hold a locker room and motivate guys to play their best? The amount of evidence confirming this over the past 18 months is overwhelming. If anything, that certainty has only grown by watching him this year.

Johnson navigated some choppy waters over the past two months. It started with the loss of quarterback Caleb Williams for three games due to a hamstring injury. The Bears went 2-1 in his absence. Then he stared down a three-game stretch where his team would play both participants from last year’s Super Bowl (Seattle and New England) and one of the league’s hottest teams (Tampa Bay). Chicago went 3-0. Johnson appeared on First Things First for an interview with Danny Parkins about the team’s ability to navigate those tough situations.

It was here that the head coach easily dropped one of the best lines you’ll ever hear.

“My dad sent me a quote: ‘Only mediocre people can be at their best all the time’… As a team, to be able to still find a way to win and other guys step up and fill the void, I think that’s what good teams do.”

Ben Johnson didn’t shy away from making his expectations clear.

He doesn’t just want to win. He wants to score a lot of points and shut the other team out. He wants domination. This took the FTF panels aback. Parkins asked if he was afraid that such talk might paint a target on his and the Bears’ backs. Johnson shrugged it off.

“Absolutely not. If there’s any other offensive play caller in the league that doesn’t feel that way, then they’re full of BS.”

He went on to say that every offensive play caller in the league feels the same way. The only difference is he isn’t afraid to say it out loud. Call it arrogance. Call it bravado. It makes no difference. Ben Johnson will continue to demand those standards at all times. No settling for mediocrity under his watch. He demands excellence from both his players and himself.

One person who seemed pretty impacted by those statements was Greg Jennings, the former Green Bay Packers wide receiver. He sounded like someone who wishes he were still playing so he could play for Johnson. Coaches like that make you want to be the best version of yourself.

It’s getting easier to understand the Bears’ transformation.

They no longer operate like a team that wants to win. They expect to win. That is their mindset going into every single game. You’ll often find that championship teams express this was their way of thinking as well. If you expect to win, you will play at a consistent level to ensure it happens. Sunday’s victory over a Tampa Bay was a shining example of this. Johnson’s offense had its worst overall performance of the season. Despite that, the Bears never trailed in the game and won 27-24.

Stuff like that doesn’t happen unless you’re a good, well-coached football team. Johnson clearly understands the job. He isn’t just another sharp offensive mind who’s in way over his head. He was born to do this. If he can even get guys who were bred to hate the team he represents to want to play for him, that says a lot.

The primary conflict between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers has been going on for over a century. Throughout that time, proxy wars have taken place between fans and the media. That includes radio stations. The Packers have no shortage of loyal outlets. One of them is ESPN Madison. They’ve been among the most outspoken regarding trash-talking the Bears at every opportunity. It was more of the same on Wednesday when they decided to conduct a poll, no doubt thinking it was low-hanging fruit.

The question was simple. Following the NFL trade deadline, which of the four teams in the NFC North was the worst? There is no question that the intention was for them to get the Bears as the highest vote-getter, both because the Packers already beat them this year and Caleb Williams just threw 4 interceptions in his most recent game. Well, let’s say the results didn’t go as intended.

Since 10:00 a.m., when the poll was posted, it has been a two-team race for that #1 spot. Neither of them is the Bears. Green Bay leads with 49.5% of the vote, while the Minnesota Vikings trail behind at 39.7%.

Once again, don’t come at the Chicago Bears unprepared.

One can understand why the Packers media are feeling themselves lately. The team is in the midst of its annual October and November run. They’ve won five of their last six games, capped by a blowout of the New England Patriots. No doubt they’re feeling invincible right now, especially with Micah Parsons about to return. That said, this is the NFL. Champions aren’t crowned in November. You can’t expect the Bears, and particularly their fans, to cowtow to you just because you won the first matchup.

The Chicago Bears are 7-2. They played their worst game of the season on Sunday night and still beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That win the Packers enjoyed last month came courtesy of playing at home against a Bears team that was starting Tyson Bagent at quarterback and was also without Kyle Monangai or Kyler Gordon. Not to mention, they didn’t have Jeffery Simmons in the mix as they do now. When these teams rematch on Christmas, the Bears will likely be significantly stronger.

Packer fans would be wise not to get ahead of themselves.

As thorough as that victory was at Lambeau Field, it did nothing to derail the Bears’ season. They’ve won four in a row since that game. It is another testament to the team’s grit and resilience in the face of disappointing setbacks. Green Bay is free to talk their trash. Such is the benefit of winning the most recent matchup. Just don’t expect it to discourage Bears fans from firing back when you give them opportunities, as that poll so obviously did. They won’t sit there and take it.

Make no mistake. The war is far from over. You can bet Williams and Ben Johnson have that December 25th date circled. It probably isn’t a coincidence that the quarterback returned slightly early from his hamstring injury after the loss in Green Bay. They hate losing to the Packers. There is a strong possibility that game may decide the fate of the division.

They wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Chicago Bears were close, so close to doubling down on their defensive line before the trade deadline. They, of course, landed superstar Jeffery Simmons, who’s already been a massive difference-maker up front. Yet what might somehow be an even bigger surprise is the trade that didn’t happen. That is the deal to bring Khalil Mack home from the Los Angeles Chargers. For weeks, it felt like a virtual certainty that the trade would happen. It made too much sense. The Chargers are winless. Mack is 35 and on an expiring deal.

All L.A. had to do was face reality and accept a reasonable offer that likely would’ve been a late-round pick. Instead, the deadline passed without anything happening. The only deal Los Angeles made was flipping linebacker Daiyan Henley to the division rival Broncos for 4th and 5th round picks. Utterly bizarre.

So what happened?

Ian Rapoport shared the updated information on NFL Network. What it boiled down to is that the Chargers didn’t want to lose Mack’s leadership presence in the locker room. They felt his influence on younger players was too valuable. Add the fact that he wasn’t pushing to be traded, and it ultimately resulted in nothing happening.

Khalil Mack has only himself to blame if that’s true.

By the sound of things, the Chargers felt emboldened not to take calls on the pass rusher because he didn’t make a concerted effort to insist they trade him. They almost certainly would have if he put in a request. It sounds like the coaches and front office have considerable respect for him. For whatever reason, Mack didn’t feel compelled to seize the opportunity. Why? Only he knows the answer. Maybe he’s loyal to the Chargers organization. Maybe he just doesn’t want to leave California.

At some point, the dream of a Super Bowl becomes less important to some players. They’d rather finish out their career with the team they’re on, building a legacy worthy of respect. Maybe Khalil Mack has reached that point. There is a possibility he might be contemplating retirement after this season. He’s at that age where it becomes a topic of conversation every offseason. Remember, he has played since 2014. The man has a lot of mileage on his body. Uprooting himself to another team, even one he’s familiar with, may have felt too daunting.

In the end, the Bears chose to stand down.

Adding Mack would’ve been a great story, but there is nothing they could’ve done short of offering more compensation to make a deal happen. There was no way Ryan Poles was doing that for a player past his prime with zero financial control beyond 2026. The edge rusher market in general was quiet this year. After exploring the cornerbacks as well, the Bears concluded that there were no opportunities worth their time. So they closed up shop, trusting that the Simmons addition would be enough to push the defense forward.

All in all, it was a competent showing by Poles. He never let himself get roped into a situation that put the Bears’ future at risk. The Chargers didn’t want to trade Mack. Whether you agree with their reasons or not, that is the simple fact. At some point, you have to accept it and move on to other possibilities. That is what the Bears did. There is no sense in wondering about what could’ve happened.

The 2026 Chicago Bears are off to the best start the organization has had since 2012. They’re 7-2 and leading the NFC North. When examining how it got to this point, most will circle two key reasons for the success. First is the strong contributions of their latest draft class. Safety Dillon Thieneman and cornerback Malik Muhammad have been very good on defense this season. Tight end Sam Roush has been a regular part of the offense, both as a blocker and part-time receiver. Wide receiver Zavion Thomas has also been looking better and better on kick returns. Then you, of course, have the massive trade for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who’s been an instant sensation. General manager Ryan Poles deserves plenty of credit for all of that.

Yet not enough people are recognizing something else. You could make a case that 2026 has turned out to be Poles’ best work on the free agency front. For years, the Bears GM has come under heavy scrutiny for his poor decision-making in signing free agents. Most of it is justified. Poles has handed out some bad contracts and made some ugly scouting mistakes.

Ryan Poles cannot and should not escape them.

Outside of 2023, it’s been mostly mediocre.

That year, Poles added four players who made significant contributions to the team. Edmunds, Edwards, and Billings were all with the Bears last year when they made the playoffs. Edmunds has since been traded, and Billings left in free agency. Since then, most of his “hits” have been temporary. Swift and Byard were good ones in 2024. Dalman unfortunately retired after one year, and Wright left after one season as well. With little cap room to work with, Poles faced a scenario that, in all honesty, should’ve been impossible.

Instead, the Bears GM delivered what early signs indicate might be some of his best work.

• Coby Bryant (S). Signed a three-year, $40 million contract from the Seattle Seahawks.
• Devin Bush (LB). Signed a three-year, $30 million contract.
• Neville Gallimore (DT). Signed a two-year, $10 million contract from the Indianapolis Colts.
• Cam Lewis (CB). Signed a two-year, $6 million contract from the Buffalo Bills.
• Kalif Raymond (WR/KR). Signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract from the Detroit Lions.
• Jedrick Wills (OT). Signed a one-year contract.
• Kentavius Street (DT). Signed a one-year, $1.48 million contract.
• Xavier Woods (S). Signed a one-year, $1.35 million contract.
• James Lynch (DT). Signed a one-year, $1.32 million contract.
• Marcus Davenport (DE). Signed a one-year contract.
• Scotty Miller (WR). Signed a one-year contract.
• Salvon Ahmed (RB). Signed a one-year contract.
• Jon Rhattigan (LB). Signed a one-year contract.
• Anthony Johnson Jr. (S). Signed a one-year contract.
• Jack Sanborn (LB). – Signed a one-year contract

Halfway through the season, the 2026 free agent class has been remarkably successful. Bush is playing at a Pro Bowl level on defense. Lewis has played far above expectations in the secondary. Raymond has made several clutch plays on offense. Lynch has been a key component of the Bears’ run defense and had a massive interception against Seattle. Sanborn has 4 special teams tackles. All of this is without Bryant, their biggest free agent addition, playing a single snap.

It seems like Poles operates better under pressure.

Remember, going into the 2026 offseason, the Bears were actually over the salary cap. It took considerable work by Ryan Poles to get the books in order before free agency began. Chicago was reported to have had around $23 million. When you recall that Las Vegas had $121 million, you realize that the Bears didn’t have much to work with. For them to still somehow snag four significant contributors for their team, with high potential for a fifth? That is nothing short of A+ work by Poles and the front office.

The trick of free agency is finding value without breaking the bank. Most teams struggle to do that. The Bears had serious issues in their first few years. There were legitimate questions about their pro scouting department. However, things seemed to shift when Poles brought in D.J. Hord as the new director of pro scouting. Hord had spent seven years learning under Seahawks GM John Schneider in Seattle, and it shows. Chicago’s talent evaluation on that front seemed to really improve after his arrival.

Credit to Poles for recognizing the need for changes.

The Chicago Bears lost a lot when Cole Kmet went down with his knee injury a few weeks ago. He was a vital piece of their offensive system, serving as both a dependable blocker and an underrated receiving threat. His absence was felt against both Seattle and Tampa Bay. Rookie Sam Roush has done his best to fill the void, but he’s far from perfect. It will take time for him to grow into what the Bears envisioned when drafting him in the 3rd round. However, head coach Ben Johnson may have designs on a slight shakeup at tight end over the next few weeks.

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, undrafted rookie Hayden Large has been going through football-related activity after undergoing core muscle surgery earlier this year. That usually indicates a player is close to returning to practice. Large was somebody the Bears, especially Johnson, really liked coming out of Iowa. He had a great training camp and preseason, which is why the team elected to keep four tight ends on the roster. His injury was unfortunate.

“Undrafted rookie tight end Hayden Large, who was placed on injured reserve during the preseason and required core muscle surgery, has been doing some football-related activity in his recovery. I don’t know if the Bears are considering opening a return-to-practice window for him yet, but they could be headed that way.”

Ben Johnson knows what Large can bring.

If there is one thing you can always count on with Iowa tight ends, it is that they can block. Large was no exception. He received high grades for run-blocking coming out of college. Yet that wasn’t all of it. He was widely celebrated for his versatility, lining up everywhere from tight end to fullback and H-back. The guy lived for doing the dirty work. Teammates and coaches loved him. He was the beating heart of that Hawkeyes team during his time there, which is incredibly rare for a tight end.

There is no question that Ben Johnson hopes to get him involved. The blocking alone would be worth it. Chicago’s running game has suffered since Kmet’s exit. Inserting Large into the equation should be a positive for the offense, especially with all of the places he can line up. If he operates like the player he was in college, the Bears will have a utility piece that makes their offense even harder to defend. It would explain why they haven’t made any notable moves at tight end since Kmet’s injury.

The Bears will likely look different in two weeks.

Remember, Johnson made significant changes to the offense after the bye last season. He switched to a more outside-zone rushing attack, feeling it best fit his personnel. This year will be much the same. Except this time, he’ll likely focus on deploying countermeasures against defenses like Minnesota’s and Tampa Bay’s. Their blitz-heavy scheme attacked the Bears’ interior of the offensive line with considerable success. The Bears must find ways to address this problem because they’re almost certain to face it in the playoffs.

Detroit offered some interesting solutions. Among them is lining up tight ends in the backfield to pick off blitzers as they come through. That is another reason having Large back in the lineup could prove beneficial. He and Roush could be useful in such a strategy for Johnson. Don’t be shocked if the Bears look like a significantly different offense when they take the field against New Orleans.

The Chicago Bears swung their massive trade for Jeffery Simmons last week, well in advance of the deadline on November 10th. This led many to wonder if general manager Ryan Poles might not be done. There was probably one more move he could make. Maybe he could fortify the secondary with a cornerback or add some help on offense with a blocking tight end to replace Cole Kmet. In the end, nothing happened. The Bears went silent as the deadline passed, leaving many to wonder what happened.

In doing a diagnosis, there are three potential explanations for this. It could be one of them, or a mixture of all three. There is no question that the influence came from one of these directions. We’ll start with the simplest one.

Reason #1 – The Chicago Bears’ first trade has yielded huge results.

Why double down when the first move was so successful? Simmons has only played two games for the Bears, and he’s already giving them everything they could’ve hoped for. He wrecked the Seahawks two weeks ago in his debut and then agitated the Buccaneers on Sunday night both with his play and his mouth. He already has 2 sacks and has been an instant help to everybody else up front. Montez Sweat had a sack in Seattle, and Austin Booker had one against Tampa Bay. The Bears allowed just 24 points despite 5 turnovers by the offense last weekend. Simmons has made the entire team better.

Reason #2 – Poles was reluctant to give away more draft capital.

The thing to remember here is that Poles’ philosophy has always been to build through the draft. Shipping out those two 1st rounders had to sting for him. He knows you run the risk of letting the well of young talent run dry if you give up too many draft picks. That is why he was likely not interested in any other significant trade on the market. He probably hoped to find a decent bargain for a late-round pick swap and couldn’t find any that would’ve made the Chicago Bears better. So he opted to stick with what he’d already accomplished. Remember, both Jerry Angelo and Ryan Pace had bad habits of continuing to give away picks after their blockbuster trades for Jay Cutler and Khalil Mack. Poles didn’t want to fall into that same trap.

Reason #3 – The asking prices likely went up.

This also likely played a part in Poles’ decision. Giving up two 1st round picks was bound to impact the trade market. Suddenly, other teams will start thinking they could get similar value for players, not realizing that most buyers weren’t willing to give up that kind of package for somebody who probably isn’t on the same level as Simmons. It wasn’t helped when Jacksonville gave up 1st and 2nd round picks for Jordan Davis. Once that happened, the market kind of went quiet. That is almost always because the asking prices went up.

If there is one thing we know about Poles, it is that he has a certain level in mind for every player he targets in trades. If the price goes past that level, the Bears general manager will hang up the phone. It is a level of discipline you learn to appreciate. While boring from an action point of view, it’s hard to argue with where the Bears are at. They have one of the best defensive tackles in the league and are maintaining control of 19 of their allotted 21 picks over the next three years.