There has been a ton of smoke going into the trade deadline this year involving the Chicago Bears. They feel like a team that is poised for a deep playoff run. Another strong infusion of talent at the deadline might help give them an edge over the competition. They’ve already been sniffing around multiple players, including DeForest Buckner and even Quenton Nelson. However, no move has been made yet. Will GM Ryan Poles actually make a move, or is he just putting stuff out in the media to make it look like he’s trying?
One thing is clear. People around the NFL certainly think the Bears will do something. From what Jeremy Fowler of ESPN is hearing, the position to watch is edge rushers. It sounds like the market will be richer than usual. Fowler mentioned not one but three different names the Bears might be involved in as the deadline draws closer. Obviously, one of them is Khalil Mack. He’s been a known option for weeks. He is joined by Arizona’s Josh Sweat and Tennessee’s Jermaine Johnson.
Much depends on how much the Chicago Bears want to pay.
Josh Sweat, Edge, Arizona Cardinals
What Fowler is hearing: Rival teams could see him getting moved. “Sweat to Dallas makes a lot of sense to me,” an NFC exec said. “That’s a profile fit.” Rumblings persist that Sweat would want a new contract — he’s in the second year of a four-year, $76 million deal — and that could complicate things. But many teams are looking for an edge rusher.
Predicted chance of getting traded: 40%
Team fits: Cowboys, Bears, 49ers
Khalil Mack, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers
What Fowler is hearing: Mack is productive and affordable. The Chargers gave him a $10 million signing bonus in March, so a new team would inherit the prorated version of his $8 million salary to close out his one-year deal. Returning to the Bears is a natural fit for the equivalent of a quality Day 3 pick. The Chargers have held off trading pieces such as Mack up to this point, though.
Jermaine Johnson II, Edge, Tennessee Titans
What Fowler is hearing: Teams in the market for an edge rusher believe Johnson could be available at the right price. The Titans are reeling at 1-6 and are still in rebuilding mode, which necessitates adding more draft picks. Johnson is a Robert Saleh favorite from their Jets days together and just got to Tennessee via an offseason trade. But enough interest in the edge-rush market could make him a factor. Teams I talked to consider him a toss-up to be traded.
Team fits: Browns, Bears
The Chicago Bears face a classic shopper’s dilemma.
There are three products on the shelf. Each does the same thing, but to varying degrees of quality. It comes down to how much you’re willing to pay. Sweat is probably the most preferable of the three options. He’s still 29 years old and had 12.5 sacks last season. There are two years left on his current deal, giving the Chicago Bears some control over his future. Mack is the most accomplished of the trio, but also the oldest at 35. He has been productive this year. Still, his viability beyond 2026 is questionable.
Johnson is the store’s brand product. It’s the cheapest available, and for good reasons. After collecting 7.5 sacks in his 2023 season with the New York Jets, he has just 6 sacks in his past three seasons. Though 27 years old, it’s pretty clear that Johnson isn’t what you’d call a front-line pass rusher. This is somebody who would be a good #3 or #4 option. If the Bears are fine with something like that, he would be a solid addition. Just don’t expect him to drastically change the defense’s fortunes.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
How far will Poles go?
He is the one who will decide that. The Bears GM has shown an aversion to bold moves in recent years. He hasn’t made an aggressive trade since grabbing Montez Sweat for a 2nd round pick in 2023. It’s been mostly cheaper moves since then. If he holds to that same strategy, then deals involving Mack or Johnson are the more likely outcomes. Sweat’s market should command somewhere in the vicinity of a 3rd round pick. A big key is whether his recent lack of production might drag that number down.
The Bears have been a build-through-the-draft kind of team for years. They haven’t operated as an all-or-nothing group, preferring a more measured approach, intent on keeping the team competitive in the long term. There is no indication that the stance has changed, either with Poles or the coaching staff. That is why it might be best to assume they go bargain hunting over the next two weeks.
