For weeks, the consensus among insiders was that the Chicago Bears would not receive compensation for the loss of assistant general manager Ian Cunningham to Atlanta. Despite abundant evidence indicating Cunningham was the unquestioned top football decision-maker for the Falcons, the NFL rule stated that no compensatory picks would be awarded because, technically, Matt Ryan was considered that guy because of his title as president of football operations. Feeling the spirit of the rule was met, Bears general manager Ryan Poles filed an appeal with the league.

He hadn’t heard back at that time.

It appears something has shifted since then. With the new league year set to open next week, the NFL is preparing to award all compensatory picks. It was said the dates of March 8th through the 11th would be the range to watch for a final decision. It appears the Bears might be getting good news on that front. According to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, she is now confident the team will likely receive the compensatory picks for Cunningham, netting an extra 3rd rounder this year and a 3rd in 2027.

This development might explain recent Chicago Bears activity.

It has felt for the past week that the team is maneuvering to stockpile more picks for the upcoming draft. Trading D.J. Moore to Buffalo netted them another 2nd round pick. They now have four in the first three rounds of this draft. Securing those compensatory picks would give them five. That means one of two things. Either they have five chances to secure legitimate starters for key positions on the roster, or they have the necessary ammunition to take a big swing on the trade market.

The name everybody is watching right now is Maxx Crosby. Las Vegas wants two 1st round picks for the star pass rusher. Chicago wasn’t really in a good position to make such an offer when this process began. That would change if they get those comp picks. Suddenly, they would have two 2nd and two 3rd round picks in 2026 and a 2nd and two 3rd round picks in 2027. That should provide a reasonable enough cushion for them to keep adding young talent despite losing two 1st rounders for Crosby.

The Bears could also just use those picks to reload.

Remember, much of this team is still made up of players who weren’t acquired by head coach Ben Johnson and his staff. They may wish to rectify that. We already saw a noticeable shift in how the team evaluates talent. Johnson wants more speed across the board. Unless the Chicago Bears could acquire more picks, it would be difficult to fill every void on the depth chart they need to. Securing those comp picks would be exactly what they need. It would also be a major political win for the organization.

The NFL has a long track record of sticking to the rules in these situations. They don’t like to set a precedent. However, sometimes the evidence is overwhelming enough that they’re compelled to make an exception. It is abundantly clear that Cunningham is the primary football guy in Atlanta. Multiple people have said so, including Ryan. It will also likely say the same in his contract. Couple that with the Bears’ careful but assertive appeal, and it makes sense why the league would acquiesce.

The Chicago Bears have begun their cap-clearing measures. Drew Dalman’s retirement kick-started things, freeing up what should be $14 million in space. Next came wide receiver D.J. Moore, traded to the Buffalo Bills along with a 5th round pick for a 2nd round pick. That frees up $16.5 million. Most recently, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was released, accounting for another $15 million. The Bears are now under the cap, so most people assume there won’t be any further player cuts or trades. That might’ve been a miscalculation based on the new rumor surrounding tight end Cole Kmet and running back D’Andre Swift.

Bears fans are likely aware of Benjamin Allbright. He covers the Denver Broncos for KOA Colorado but is widely known as one of the more plugged-in NFL insiders in the business. Recently, he revealed that Chicago is the preferred destination for defensive end Maxx Crosby, but it appears his bombshells didn’t stop there. He recently tweeted something that drops a massive suggestion that Kmet and Swift might not be around much longer

Trading Cole Kmet and D’Andre Swift would be bold.

It is difficult to see the logic at first glance. Kmet was excellent as the Bears’ #2 tight end, making some big-time catches while serving as a quality blocker. His versatility was incredibly valuable to head coach Ben Johnson. Swift also had the best season of his career, with 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns. Why would the Bears look to unload both players if they were such big parts of the team’s success last season? That is a question with a couple of answers.

First is money. Unloading both players would net the Bears another $15.8 million in cap space. Both combine to count $20 million against the cap this year. It’s possible Johnson doesn’t feel either player is worth the money they’re being paid. Cole Kmet isn’t the primary option at tight end, but is being paid like it. We already know the head coach isn’t the biggest Swift fan, having signed off on trading him back when he was offensive coordinator in Detroit. This is not a new situation.

Johnson already did a similar purge in 2023.

It’s eerie how similar the situation was. Detroit traded tight end T.J. Hockenson at the 2022 deadline, then drafted Sam LaPorta the following offseason. Swift was then traded to Philadelphia that April after the Lions selected Jahmyr Gibbs in the 1st round. So we already know Johnson is not afraid to unload established players if he feels they don’t fit his vision on offense. We also know he has a sharp eye for tight ends and running backs. He had the biggest voice in drafting Gibbs and LaPorta, then Colston Loveland and Kyle Monangai last year.

If anybody has the confidence that they can find upgrades to Kmet and Swift, it would be the Bears’ head coach. Free agency will have some strong running back options, while the upcoming 2026 draft is stacked with highly talented tight ends. If the Bears can get some draft picks in return for both players, they will have more than enough resources to continue the offensive facelift. It remains to be seen whether they go through with it since such situations are often fluid.

Maxx Crosby is the talk of the NFL offseason right now. Despite the whispers that the Las Vegas Raiders are putting out about keeping him, everybody can see the writing on the wall. Crosby wants to play for a winner. He’s nearing 30 and has a few prime years left. He’s never come close to getting a ring and would at least like the opportunity. Las Vegas is nowhere close to giving him that. Hence why the market for the Pro Bowler is so hot, with at least 10 teams involved. However, some stand out above the rest.

Zach Wolchuk covers the Dallas Cowboys at 105.3 The Fan and is close with veteran insider Trey Wingo. He revealed on Twitter (X) that Dallas looked like they were close to a deal for Crosby, but other teams raised the price tag to two 1st round picks. He now has it on good authority that the Chicago Bears are that team, putting them on the inside track for the star pass rusher. The other team involved is the Philadelphia Eagles, who remain as dangerous as ever on the trade market.

The Bears can now make a Maxx Crosby trade work.

Two factors made it hard for many to imagine. One was their lack of salary cap space. That problem was resolved by Drew Dalman’s retirement, Tremaine Edmunds’ release, and the trade of D.J. Moore. The other was a lack of draft capital to make such a deal palatable. That changed when the Bears netted a 2nd round pick in the Moore trade. Now they have two picks in the 2nd round, meaning they can deal two 1sts to Las Vegas and still have a reasonable amount of draft currency to fill the roster with young talent.

Philadelphia does have an advantage, though. They have something they can dangle to the Raiders that the Bears can’t: A.J. Brown. It isn’t a secret that their relationship with the star wide receiver has grown frosty since last season. He isn’t happy with the state of the offense and his role in it. Conversely, Las Vegas needs wide receiver help in preparation for selecting Fernando Mendoza #1 overall in the draft next month. Packaging Brown with two 1st round picks would be a far more appetizing offer compared to anything the Bears can put forward.

The Bears must weigh the risks of this carefully.

They’ve already conducted two such blockbuster trades in the past two decades. Neither led to the elusive second Super Bowl title they’ve been chasing for over 40 years. Jay Cutler got close in 2010, but lost in the NFC Championship. Khalil Mack spearheaded a great team in 2018, but was undone in the wild card round by the Double Doink. Trading for Maxx Crosby will make them better. The problem is whether they believe he’s the missing piece to a Super Bowl run. That is up for debate.

There is no doubt that having a pass rusher of his caliber would make their defensive line formidable. However, it wouldn’t fill the voids at linebacker or safety. It also won’t solve the team’s issues at left tackle and center. This comes down to how confident Poles and head coach Ben Johnson are that they can plug those holes despite limited resources if and when the trade is completed. Based on history, the odds aren’t in their favor. Then again, those previous teams didn’t have the coach-quarterback combo that this one does.

Hours after trading D.J. Moore to the Buffalo Bills, the Chicago Bears took the next step in cleaning up their salary cap. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was released, according to Adam Schefter. This clears $15 million off the books for the Bears, ensuring they now have a considerable amount of cap space to work with. They should be sitting around $37 million now after the Moore trade ($16.5 million) and the retirement of Drew Dalman ($14 million). If the Bears wish to clear any more, it will likely require restructuring the contracts of veterans on the payroll.

This move felt inevitable after the Bears granted Edmunds permission to seek a trade last week. There were some rumors of possible interest from other teams. However, it seems a deal couldn’t be found. Teams are likely willing to take a chance on him in free agency. The Bears won’t lose sleep about it. They needed the cap space to help kick-start a retooling of their roster. Any pick they received would’ve been a late-rounder at best. As things stand, they must make plays to find a replacement.

Replacing Tremaine Edmunds won’t be a top priority.

As valuable as linebackers can be to a defense, Dennis Allen’s track record as a coordinator suggests he values pass rushers and the secondary more. This isn’t a huge shock given his background as a defensive backs coach. An initial prediction is that the Bears may look to bring D’Marco Jackson back. The former backup played very well after Edmunds went down with an injury that landed him on IR. Jackson won’t be too expensive to retain and would give the team some flexibility in their efforts to find help in the draft.

This is a great year for linebackers in the upcoming draft, especially in the 2nd and 3rd round range. Chicago happens to have three picks in that area. It wouldn’t be shocking if general manager Ryan Poles decides to grab one to help supplement the position. Tremaine Edmunds will have no shortage of suitors. Las Vegas, Tennessee, and New York were rumored to have interest. He shouldn’t be unemployed long. While he never quite lived up to the big contract the Bears gave him in 2023, Edmunds will be remembered as a solid football player.

Much depends on how aggressive the Bears want to be.

The trade rumors around Maxx Crosby continue. Chicago now has enough cap space to fit his contract onto the books. It’s been said by multiple insiders that the team is squarely in the mix on the Pro Bowler. If that doesn’t happen, one should expect the Bears will use that Tremaine Edmunds money to go after a center in free agency. They need somebody to replace Dalman and shore up the offensive line. They already have a hole at left tackle. They can’t afford another in the middle.

Keep an eye on Tyler Linderbaum from Baltimore and Connor McGovern from Buffalo. Both feel like obvious targets. They could also go after a veteran pass rusher with Trey Hendrickson having ties to Dennis Allen, as does Cameron Jordan. Once that is done, they will focus on using those high draft picks to remake the defense, likely seeking more speed across the board.

DJ Moore has watched his time with the Chicago Bears come to a close. In his three years, the wide receiver produced one of the best seasons in franchise history (2023) and made arguably the greatest catch in franchise history against Green Bay. That is a ton of impact in a short span of time. Sadly, circumstances forced the team into a difficult decision. They needed cap space, and Moore wanted a chance to become a #1 target again after seeing his role reduced last year.

After fielding phone calls in recent weeks, the two sides found the right situation. Bears general manager Ryan Poles sent the receiver to Buffalo, where he could pair with superstar quarterback Josh Allen. Chicago received $16.5 million in cap space and a significant draft pick. People felt the deal was a success for both sides. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll see the Bears pulled off a heist.

DJ Moore netted the Bears way more than he should’ve.

According to the reports, the team will receive the 60th pick in the 2nd round in exchange for Moore and the Bears’ 154th pick in the 5th round. If that sounds like more than expected, it should. Since 2000, there have been nine trades involving a prominent wide receiver who was age 28 or 29 (Moore turns 29 this year). Five of them were coming off a season where they failed to crack 1,000 yards. Three of the five netted no more than 5th and 6th round picks. The only one who didn’t was Randy Moss in 2004.

And now Moore.

Even if you factor the 5th rounder going back in the deal, that is still way more than the other receivers on the list. Put simply, the Bears got away with robbery in this deal. Buffalo was desperate to get Josh Allen some help in the passing game and knew their division rival, the New England Patriots, would be lurking after cutting Stefon Diggs the previous day. Poles played his hand perfectly, taking advantage of Buffalo’s undoubted sense of urgency to pull more from the deal than he probably should’ve.

Chicago now sits beautifully in the draft’s sweet spot.

Anybody who has followed the draft over the years soon learn that certain classes have different strengths and weaknesses. That goes by position groups but also overall quality. Some are top-heavy, with lots of initial star power but limited depth. Others have terrific depth but are light on star power. It sounds like the 2026 draft class falls into the latter category. While there are only around 11 prospects considered blue chip types, this class is rich in players who can at least become quality starters. Draft insider Daniel Jeremiah summed it up perfectly.

Thanks to the DJ Moore trade, the Bears now have two picks squarely in that sweet spot at #57 and #60. That means if they focus on the right positions, there is an excellent chance they can land two starters. Coupled with their 25th overall pick, that is three front-line starters they can snare. It speaks to the excellent work done by Poles and Johnson in finding a way to leverage this class’s strengths.

The Bears’ newest pick has yielded good results over the past several years.

So what of the pick itself? The 60th pick in the draft might be on the tail end of the 2nd round, but that doesn’t mean it holds limited value. Far from it. If you go back just the past 20 years, that spot has yielded some really good football players. Jacksonville star running back Maurice Jones-Drew went there. Eternal Bears nemesis Golden Tate went there. Former Pro Bowl guard and Super Bowl champion Kelechi Osemele also went there. If the Bears do their evaluations right, they could end up with an immediate contributor.

Let’s also not overlook how advantageous that pick is in correlation with their other 2nd rounder, #57. If the Bears wanted to, say, trade down for extra capital, they could do that from #57 with little fear. They know they still have #60, meaning players they may like in that range still have a reasonable chance of being on the board when the Bears go back on the clock. That tactic worked last year when they traded the 41st pick in the 2nd round, which netted the 56th and 62nd picks. One became Ozzy Trapilo.