The Chicago Bears made the biggest splash yet ahead of the 2026 NFL trade deadline when they pulled off the blockbuster for Jeffery Simmons. However, there is still over a week to go before the final date arrives. That is more than enough time for something else to happen. There is no shortage of potential players who could be moved. Plenty of teams have reached a point where they could be in sell mode. There is no shortage of potential buyers, too. One of them, the New York Giants, might be about to do the Bears a huge favor.
It was reported yesterday that Giants head coach John Harbaugh tried to swipe Simmons out from under Chicago by calling Tennessee Titans ownership directly. It didn’t work. Still, it appears the NFC East leaders are seeking to make a splash. Their fallback option is certainly a big one. According to insider Benjamin Allbright, it’s looking like New York has become the heavy favorite to land star Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. Not only would this be a big help for their offense, but it’d also do the Bears a huge favor.
The New York Giants getting Taylor helps Chicago.
The running back became an obvious source of trade rumors after the Colts began selling off top veteran assets like Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner this past week. It felt like only a matter of time before Taylor was next. The only question was where he’d end up. Among the teams mentioned the most as an obvious landing spot is the Minnesota Vikings. They’ve struggled running the ball this season and need something to get their offense going. Taylor represents the ideal solution.
For a time, it looked like they were the favorites to get a deal done. It was made worse by growing buzz that the Green Bay Packers might also get involved, as the Josh Jacobs situation worsens. Either outcome would’ve been bad for the Bears since they must battle both teams for the division, and both have already beaten them once this year. If this New York Giants move comes to fruition, it ensures neither of those teams lands a true difference-maker on offense, keeping the Bears’ job somewhat easier.
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Taylor’s exit would leave the options thin.
The running back market doesn’t appear overly strong this year. Taylor is far and away the biggest fish. Many have speculated Saquon Barkley is also an option, but it sounds like Philadelphia has no plans to make him available. This is probably in part because quarterback Jalen Hurts was lost for the season to blood clot issues. Outside of that, the pickings are slim. Tennessee’s Tony Pollard might be the only one left, and the Titans sound reluctant to consider dealing him because it would hurt the development of quarterback Cam Ward.
Time will tell. If the Giants do close this deal, as Allbright suspects, it would be a considerable benefit to the Bears. It would have meant that Chicago improved significantly while the rest of the NFC North remained static. That is a massive victory for this organization in what is easily the NFL’s toughest division. Much will be determined after the latest round of games over the next 48 hours.
