Nobody can say for sure what the Chicago Bears are going to do ahead of the NFL trade deadline on November 2nd. Will GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy go all-in on one final bold move to try and get this team over the hump into playoff contender status? Or will they accept the reality most people see at this point? That the Bears are outclassed by the real contenders and desperately need a roster reboot.
Not only do they have a bloated payroll, but also one of the oldest lineups in the league. The fact this is the case and they’re still just 3-4 this season is a clear sign they’re trending in the wrong direction. With Justin Fields looking like their clear course into the future, the organization should start thinking about stockpiling whatever resources they can to begin building around him. Some people though aren’t convinced the Bears will do it.
Why?
Namely because of the two men in charge. Pace and Nagy aren’t exactly in secure positions right now. The team is losing and the offense is a complete mess. Many believe the chances are growing that both could be fired unless either Fields takes a big step forward or the team starts winning. Selling off players at the deadline would seem counterproductive from their point of view.
Nonetheless, it appears the phone lines are being kept open. According to longtime Bears insider Hub Arkush of Shaw Media, the Bears are listening to any offers other teams might have for some of their players. No specific names were mentioned. However, this offers an indication that they might consider making a move or two if the right price tag is met.
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Next you can add the trade deadline arriving at 3 p.m. Tuesday. Will you be buyers or sellers? Have new buddies or a new home? Or just left holding the bag?
Sources are telling me the team is on the phone listening but not shopping, willing to move anyone for premium value but not searching for deals.
And if general manager Ryan Pace and Nagy are actually heading for the top of the bubble at the end of the year – there’s no certainty that idea is anything more than noise – just who is deciding what, if anything, happens between now and Tuesday night?
Chicago Bears may be spurred by what happens Sunday
Right now the team still has valid reasons to think they can stay in the playoff hunt. They’re 3-4 with 10 games left to play. The NFC is wide open in the wild card race with few true top contenders. If they can beat the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field, they can keep their hopes alive. On the other hand, a loss would drop them to 3-5 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens on deck.
At that point, it would make more sense to accept reality and start seeking ways to stockpile their inventory for 2022. Remember the Chicago Bears only have five draft picks next offseason including no 1st. If they can secure some extra selections while also clearing some cap space? They absolutely should. There are a number of players on the roster that other teams should have an interest in.
Allen Robinson, Akiem Hicks, and even David Montgomery headline that list.
The only players who should be considered untouchable at this point are Fields, Darnell Mooney, Roquan Smith, and Jaylon Johnson. Those four should form the future foundation for this team moving forward. Knowing the history, it is hard to imagine they do anything. Yet the Bears have always found ways to surprise people in the past.