The Chicago Bears trade rumors were active like always this offseason. No surprise. Changes of a significant nature should be expected. Not only were the Bears coming off a 5-11 season, they were also breaking in a new coaching staff headlined by Matt Nagy. Often in such vacuums, there’s bound to be one or two bold moves on the trade market.
Despite a record-shattering number of deals being made across the NFL, GM Ryan Pace saved his moment for during the second day of the draft. That’s when he sent a 2019 second round pick to New England to jump back into the second round and selected Memphis wide receiver Anthony Miller. The move was a shock but applauded by several experts, many of them big fans of Miller’s game.
The team was thrilled with the pick, but it seems that almost wasn’t the move they made. For a short time, they came close to pulling off something much bigger.
Le’Veon Bell was briefly the Chicago Bears trade target in the draft
The Bears running back position was surrounded by trade rumors for months. It got to such a point where people flipped out over Jordan Howard removing Bears-related pictures on his Instagram. While the rumors were constantly debunked by notable insiders, the smoke never fully went away. For a brief moment during the draft, that smoke almost became raging flames. A source told me that the team entertained the idea of acquiring a notable back from out east.
“The Bears were inches from acquiring Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell on draft night for a 2019 pick. They ultimately pulled the plug on it. Pittsburgh was into it but the Bears rebuffed on the demand for a first rounder. They were satisfied with moving back into the second to get Anthony Miller. The deal was seen as not needed.”
There is plenty of fascinating backdrop to this. It’s no secret that the three-time Pro Bowl running back has been at odds with the Steelers over his contract. Bell has high demands for a long-term deal and it’s clear Pittsburgh is unwilling to meet them. That’s why they decided to use the franchise tag on him this offseason. Though he’ll make over $14.5 million, it’s only for one year.
Speculation was rampant the team might try to trade him. This reinforces how close that possibility came. So why would the Bears even consider this? It goes back to the same reason the Jordan Howard rumors began a couple months ago: scheme fit. Head coach Matt Nagy runs a pass-first offensive system. He wants his running backs able to catch the football. That’s been a persistent issue for Howard, who has 12 drops in his first two years.
That is not a problem for Bell.
He had 85 catches for 655 yards in 2017 alone.
The fit is easy enough to see. Had such a trade gone down, it virtually would’ve guaranteed the Bears trade Howard. In the end, as with most blockbuster deals, the price just didn’t match up for both sides. The Steelers likely would’ve been trashed if they gave up their star back for anything less than a first rounder.
Chicago likely made the right move as well. They keep Howard who is three years younger than Bell and gain somebody in Miller who can handle the pass-catching duties. He’s also two years younger than Bell. In essence, they kept one productive player, gained another and didn’t have to fork over the ridiculous money Bell would’ve commanded in return.
