The Chicago Bears are one of the more interesting teams with the trade deadline just over a week away. GM Ryan Poles was active last year, dealing both Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn for draft picks. He already sent Chase Claypool to Miami for a pick swap. Maybe the Bears would continue selling off players for more draft currency in 2024. After all, they were 1-5 just over 24 hours ago. That win over Las Vegas seems to have muddied the waters somewhat, but a loss next week to Los Angeles might decide things.
However, this year might be different. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reached out to NFL sources about what they’ve heard regarding the deadline. While the Bears are receiving calls like every other team, it doesn’t seem like they plan to be active this time.
One AFC source said the Bears are said to want to “stand pat” at the deadline. That doesn’t mean there won’t be some buzz in the coming days for other teams.
“The reason you’ve seen more trades in-season the last five, six years is because of the number of teams that are relying on analytics,” an NFC general manager said. “They’re the ones that are more loose when it comes to trading draft picks. They operate with the belief they can fill holes or more often than that supplement depth via trades. The more teams lean into the numbers, the more you will see.”
As things stand, only two players feel like they might fetch a return were they made available. The most obvious is cornerback Jaylon Johnson, fresh off his two-interception game against the Raiders. The other is Darnell Mooney, whose speed can be valuable.
The Chicago Bears want to see if they can make a second-half push.
No, they don’t think the playoffs are feasible. That isn’t their focus right now. The Bears have won two of their last three games and probably should’ve won three of their last four. They feel like they’re playing much better football lately. It’s easy to see why. The defense is finally healthy and allowing far fewer points per game. After a slow start, the running game has come alive. They’ve posted 171, 178, 161, and 173 yards in the past four games. Even the quarterbacks are playing better. Fields had eight touchdowns and two interceptions in a three-game span. Tyson Bagent was efficient with 162 yards and a touchdown against Las Vegas.
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It makes no sense to unload players if you think you can get some wins down the stretch, building momentum into 2024. Forget trading Johnson. It sounds like the Chicago Bears would rather extend him. He’s still only 24 years old. Good cornerbacks are hard to come by. Mooney’s value isn’t what it was two years ago. His production has fallen off. There wouldn’t be much to get for him. Standing pat is probably the right call. See what this roster can do down the stretch.
