The Chicago Bears trade talk has ramped up steadily for the past week or two. Somewhat unusual since the team isn’t usually active this time of year. That might be because they’re rarely in such a commanding position by this point. Yet through six weeks, the Bears are 5-1 and leading the NFC North division for the first time since 2018.
This could afford GM Ryan Pace a chance to be aggressive at the October 29th deadline. Especially since his team has some clear areas of need that could use some help. Maybe more depth at nose tackle to fill the still-noticeable void left by Eddie Goldman? Perhaps a wide receiver who can add a little more speed to the mix?
Most Bears fans though are fixed on one area of the roster.
The offensive line. Hardly a surprise. It was already a bit shaky over the past few weeks. Then left guard James Daniels tore his pec. With him out for the season, it has exposed just how limited the left side of their front five is struggling. Wouldn’t it make sense to try prying a solid veteran from another team to shore up that area?
Maybe, but that’s not the scenario other insiders seem to have in mind. When contemplating ideas for the Bears, both Aaron Reiss and Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic had one name in mind. That being veteran running back Duke Johnson, currently with the Houston Texans.
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“The Texans will almost certainly move on from Johnson after the season, given his salary. Why not at least get a late-round pick for him now?
As for the Bears, they rank 28th in rushing efficiency but are 13th in adjusted line yards, which measures run blocking. That suggests their backs are not maximizing their opportunities. Johnson could be a nice complementary piece to David Montgomery, given that Chicago lost Tarik Cohen for the season.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCi0_ZHRKco&ab_channel=FootballEditzHD
A Chicago Bears trade for Duke Johnson is irrelevant
The Houston Texans are no doubt regretting their trading for David Johnson a few months ago. He was the centerpiece of a deal with the Arizona Cardinals that got them DeAndre Hopkins in exchange. A deal that is looking worse and worse by the week. Now the Texans are 1-5 with no 1st or 2nd round picks next year. Odds are they have a great interest in unloading as many pricey veterans as possible to secure any sort of draft capital.
Duke Johnson is one such option.
This is where the problem comes in for the Bears scenario. While it’s true they do miss Cohen after he tore his ACL, the fact is they can’t really afford to take on any big contracts. Even with half the season gone, Duke would still count around $2.5 million against the salary cap. That and a pick is way too expensive for what would essentially be a part-time running back.
Also, don’t forget the Bears signed Lamar Miller.
The former Texans running back (irony!) has a number of connections to this coaching staff. They seem to feel that he brings something to the table. It’s a matter of getting him up to speed and making sure his knee is healthy. Why trade for Johnson when they might have a veteran Pro Bowler as David Montgomery’s wingman for pennies?
This idea is interesting but it just doesn’t make sense. Pace is not known for paying older running backs. After handing Cohen his extension, the GM would probably like to avoid another big financial investment at that position. As a Chicago Bears trade option, this doesn’t check many boxes.