The Chicago Bears know how important the upcoming game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals is. Their schedule doesn’t get much easier after this. It is a game they can and probably should win. To do that, it was expected they’d lean on their running game. Cincinnati has the worst run defense in the league, and might be down two more starters on Sunday, including linebacker Logan Wilson. One would think D’Andre Swift is eager for this opportunity to continue a solid past few weeks.

Unfortunately, it sounds like he won’t get it. Head coach Ben Johnson revealed that the running back has been dealing with a groin injury. It originated at some point before the game against Washington. Swift has played through it, but the pain has become problematic. Johnson made it sound on Friday like the Bears are leaning towards giving him the week off in hopes it might help ease the discomfort. If so, that means 7th round pick Kyle Monangai will get the start against the Bengals.

The Chicago Bears should be able to trust Monangai.

While the rookie may not have the explosiveness Swift does, he’s still been effective with the limited chances he’s gotten. Monangai is averaging 4.4 yards per carry this season. Though not the strongest or fastest, he is a violent runner with good vision. Johnson should have no trouble crafting a game plan around his strengths. Monangai was a machine at Rutgers, churning out 1200 yards in each of his last two seasons there. If the Chicago Bears feed him the ball 15-20 times, he should give the Bengals plenty to handle.

More than anything, the real concern is depth. Swift isn’t the only one who probably won’t play. Roschon Johnson is also likely out with a back injury. That means Travis Homer, who hasn’t had a carry all season, might be their secondary option. Monangai might get a full load this Sunday, which is nothing new to him. If he can deliver, the Bears may have found themselves another piece of the puzzle.

The Chicago Bears haven’t been mentioned by anybody as the trade deadline draws near. That is somewhat shocking for fans. After all, GM Ryan Poles is notorious for making moves this time of year. He traded for Chase Claypool in 2022 and Montez Sweat in 2023. Conversely, he dealt Roquan Smith to Baltimore and Khalil Herbert to Cincinnati. Poles has a track record of making moves, never one to sit idle. Yet with four days remaining before the deadline arrives, the Bears remain radio silent.

Some have wondered if this means Poles is working the phones, trying to pull off a stunner of some kind. It’s not like he hasn’t done it before. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune addressed the situation. From what he’s heard, there doesn’t appear to be a great sense of urgency in Halas Hall to make any deals.

Intuition says the Bears, 4-3 as they prepare to face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Paycor Stadium, will be observers this time around.

If there’s a move, it will probably would not be one that has your cellphone buzzing with alerts. It might look more like the one Poles made at the deadline a year ago when he sent running back Khalil Herbert to the Bengals for a seventh-round pick that turned into running back Kyle Monangai.

In the first season for coach Ben Johnson, this isn’t the time for the Bears to bundle future assets for what might amount to a role player. It’s unlikely there’s an edge rusher who can solve the team’s pass-rush dilemma, certainly not one available at a price the team is willing to meet.

There are multiple parts to this issue.

Right now, the position group that Chicago would most likely target (edge rushers) is deadlocked because selling teams are asking for too much. The Bears also have salary cap concerns. They don’t have much wiggle room. Biggs also pointed out another factor that isn’t mentioned. Poles might not be feeling much urgency to do something because his job status isn’t under a microscope.

There’s constant pressure to win in the NFL, but Poles received a contract extension over the offseason to pair him up with Ben Johnson in Year 1, and this season is all about determining how the players the Bears have fit into the plan moving forward.

Ryan Poles doesn’t have the draft assets to spare anyway.

As of writing this, the Bears have seven picks in 2026. That is your standard number for every draft. In other words, a trade would leave them with fewer, and this team is not in a position where they can afford to lose assets for adding young talent. That is the same trap Ryan Pace fell into during his later years with the organization. Ryan Poles has consistently stated that he intends to build through the draft. Like him or not, he’s tried adhering to that statement by retaining as many picks as possible.

Now, there is a possibility the Bears could sell off a player to secure extra draft capital. Rumors have been circulating for weeks surrounding D.J. Moore. He would fetch a decent return and would take his hefty contract off the books, giving the team more financial flexibility. Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum are also options if another team is desperate for quarterback help.

Neither scenario seems plausible. Chicago seems content to let things play out this year, and Poles will reassess things next spring.

The Chicago Bears have been plagued by two issues this season. They can’t score consistently in the red zone, and they are the second-most penalized team per game in the NFL this season. It is hard to win football games when this is the case. Head coach Ben Johnson has tried several methods to get it cleaned up. He has officials at practice to call drills like simulated games. He’s increased discipline and intensity to keep guys sharp. Most recently, he called out the team leaders not once but twice in the media, telling them they need to hold themselves and their teammates more accountable.

It hasn’t stopped there. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle stated that the coaching staff is using some “unorthodox” methods to fix the penalty problems. There are plenty of examples of this going back years. One coach installed a spinning wheel with exercises that players had to do if they made a mistake. A source told SM that one of the methods involved with the Bears is that every player who commits a penalty is required to help pay for team meals. Coaches are no longer allowed to fine players directly due to the CBA, so this is a way around that.

Time will tell if it has an effect.

Most of the Chicago Bears’ woes are along the offensive line.

Of those 64 penalties committed so far, 17 have come from their blocking units. This is why the Chicago Bears have the longest average distance to go on 3rd down at 8.1 yards. No wonder it’s so difficult for them to sustain drives. It stands to reason they’ll start scoring more points if they can limit the mistakes. Unfortunately, this is often what happens when players learn a new system. Ben Johnson is installing an offense notorious for being complex and difficult to digest. Then again, it may come down to the quarterback.

Detroit didn’t have significant penalty issues in 2022 during Johnson’s first year as their offensive coordinator. They had Jared Goff, a veteran quarterback who understood how to speak the diverse language of NFL offenses. Williams doesn’t have that advantage. As a result, he’s likely making mistakes pre-snap that lead to cadence issues, and these cadence issues, in turn, lead to penalties. It’s a complex issue that isn’t easy to fix, but that hasn’t stopped the Bears from trying.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson signed with the Chicago Bears this week after a somewhat tumultuous past few months. After helping the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl last season, he was traded to the Houston Texans. He only lasted three games there before disagreements about his usage led to his release. Many believe it had more to do with his combative personality, which wasn’t helped when he couldn’t even stick on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad. Fans were nervous about letting the notorious malcontent into Halas Hall, but Jaquan Brisker loved the addition.

The Bears’ safety already knew Gardner-Johnson was a good player. He has two different seasons with six interceptions. There is no doubt he can ball. Yet it’s that natural gift for trash-talking that Brisker loves the most. He believes those kinds of players bring a mental edge to the game, along with energy. After all, Brisker loves jawing too, as does Tyrique Stevenson. Suddenly, the Bears have three players on defense who are outspoken and not afraid to say things that will get under the skin of opponents.

Jaquan Brisker understands the value of talkers.

The best way to counter professional athletes is to disrupt their mental focus. Often, the best way of doing that is to constantly yapping at them. It isn’t exclusive to football. You’ll find it in every major sport. Michael Jordan was famous for it during his time with the Chicago Bulls. Many say Reggie Miller, from Indiana, was one of the best ever. He once said that doing it served two purposes. Around 70% was just meant to get himself motivated and going. The remaining 30% was to see if he could get in the opponent’s head. If you can get them to respond in anger, you’ve already won half the battle.

That is because their focus is no longer on winning. It’s on shutting you up. Jaquan Brisker loves playing that role. Now he has two talented teammates who can do the same. People forget the Bears aren’t new to this. Many of their greatest teams were stacked with trash-talkers, including the 1963 and 1985 championship squads. Attitude is something this team has been missing. Not anymore.