It feels like the atmosphere ahead of the November 4th trade deadline is a perfect storm. There are several teams that are really bad and should be sellers, and other teams that should be eager to buy. Usually, that leads to frequent action well in advance of the deadline. Yet nothing has happened outside of a small smattering of moves. So what’s the deal? Part of the Chicago Bears’ situation stems from their record. At 4-2, they’re finally in a good spot after a 0-2 start, but some in the building aren’t ready to be aggressive until they know this surge is real. Don’t forget they started 4-2 last season. A win over the Ravens in Baltimore could be the catalyst GM Ryan Poles is looking for.

However, there is another reason for the holdup.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN revealed that part of the issue is teams interested in selling are seeking big returns. This is particularly true on the pass rusher market. It is such that teams making calls for help have decided to wait things out. The belief is that things could change as the deadline draws closer. It is basically a big game of chicken, seeing who will blink first. Poles seems content to wait, even though his defense continues to deplete with injuries.

One can’t fault the Chicago Bears for their caution.

Poles has already been burned at the trade deadline by being too aggressive. People still haven’t forgiven him for giving up a 2nd round pick for Chase Claypool in 2022. It is one of the worst trades in recent Chicago Bears history. Since then, the GM has operated more carefully. While the Bears are not strictly confined to bargain shopping, they have set prices for every player they won’t go over. A good example came last year when Matthew Judon became available. Chicago made a strong push for the veteran pass rusher, but once Atlanta offered a 3rd round pick, Poles bowed out. That proved to be a smart decision. Judon struggled that season.

More information should start filtering out after today’s slate of games. It will be around a week until the deadline, and the list of buyers and sellers should become clear. If the Bears take care of business against the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens, they have every reason to seek help, be it at edge rusher or cornerback.

For those who may have forgotten, Chicago landmark restaurant The Weiners Circle made headlines last month when they promised free hot dogs to city residents if Caleb Williams threw four touchdown passes against the Dallas Cowboys. Sure enough, that is precisely what the Bears quarterback did. Fans rejoiced in travelling to get their free franks, and it seems to have been great publicity for Weiners Circle. Now the restaurant has decided to up the ante. This time, they promised free hot dogs again if head coach Ben Johnson takes his shirt off after any Bears victory the rest of the season.

That is certainly more ambitious than the Williams challenge. Johnson has a reputation for being deadly serious during games, refusing to crack a smile or show any emotion on the sideline. Expecting him to take his shirt off is like expecting sharks to tap dance on the moon. Still, the Chicago media couldn’t help asking him about it during his press conference this week. Johnson joked about it, asking who would want to see such a disturbing sight. However, he didn’t outright say no, which makes the upcoming game in Baltimore a fascinating one to monitor.

Ben Johnson continues to show his unpredictable side.

For all the control he has over his emotions, one should never take that for who the man is. Ben Johnson has proven many times he has a sense of humor and also a great sense of timing. He knows better than anybody how much fun a story like this can be for Bears fans. He also knows it will be great fodder for his players, who would delight at the chance to see their head coach cut loose a little. Much depends on how the game unfolds. If the Bears win, he might feel compelled to fulfill his part, especially knowing it will have built a five-game winning streak.

Then again, Johnson may prefer to wait. Doing something like that in a road game would be construed as disrespectful. It might be better to do it at Soldier Field. Or better yet, save it for if and when the Bears make the playoffs. What a way to celebrate that would be. Either way, the fact that Johnson is even open to the idea makes this a fun story to follow.

DJ Moore has been connected to trade whispers pretty much all season. Part of it stems from the Chicago Bears drafting Luther Burden in the 2nd round. His skillset is nearly identical to Moore’s. There is also a perception that the veteran is frustrated with his status in the offense. He hasn’t been getting the target share he’s used to, which has led to some grumbling. This is something he flatly denies, and the Bears haven’t seemed distracted by it. Still, it hasn’t stopped the rumblings from continuing.

Yet another surfaced on Saturday. This one might be the craziest yet. Dianna Russini of The Athletic dropped a bombshell, revealing that the Jacksonville Jaguars are listening to calls for young wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. This is the same player who had an outstanding rookie season, going for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he has struggled this season in new head coach Liam Coen’s new offense, and it seems patience is running out. Prominent analyst Brett Kollmann of Bootleg Football believes the Bears can pull off something crazy by flipping Moore and a pick to Jacksonville for Thomas.

That would pair up two 1st round receivers from the loaded 2024 draft class between him and Rome Odunze.

Trading DJ Moore for Thomas Jr. is a fun idea.

It’s also unlikely. The only reason the Bears have for considering it is money. Dealing DJ Moore for Thomas would give them some considerable salary cap relief. Thomas is also five years younger than Moore. That said, this feels like a trade that doesn’t make logistical sense. Moore has been perfectly fine this season. He has adjusted to the new offense well and seems to have the trust of Caleb Williams. People can talk about his leadership, but the Bears don’t seem to need it. Odunze has stepped into that role, along with Joe Thuney and others. Moore is free to play his role.

Bringing in Thomas Jr. looks great on paper, but there is no telling what is going wrong in Jacksonville. Making him available after what happened last year feels like a knee-jerk reaction by the Jaguars, unless something more serious is going on. The Bears would be better served by avoiding unnecessary changes where they aren’t needed.

Plenty of NFL teams have been mentioned ahead of the NFL trade deadline on November 4th. The New York Jets and Miami Dolphins are likely sellers. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and Buffalo Bills are potential buyers. Nobody has mentioned the Chicago Bears in that mix, going either direction. This seems rather odd considering the nature of their general manager. Ryan Poles has never been shy about making deals if he senses a shakeup is needed. One has to think he is at least watching the market.

Finally, some confirmation arrived on Saturday. National insider Jordan Schultz revealed on his Shultz Report that the Bears-Ravens game on Sunday could have massive ramifications for the upcoming deadline. If Baltimore wins, it is expected that they might get aggressive in finding help so they can get back into what is a wide-open AFC race. Conversely, if Chicago wins and reaches 5-2, it is believed Poles will have the green light to seek an upgrade or two to give his team an extra boost.

The Chicago Bears have a clear direction to go if this happens.

Everything points to a move happening on the defensive side. Injuries have haunted Dennis Allen’s unit since the season began, but particularly at cornerback. Both Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are on Injured Reserve. Tyrique Stevenson has a shoulder problem. They have serious issues on the back end. This doesn’t even cover the ongoing concerns with the pass rush, as they still struggle to harass the quarterback. Austin Booker still hasn’t returned from IR himself. Both areas need help.

Everything depends on who is available and if any of them can be gotten for a reasonable price. Poles isn’t known for crazy, aggressive moves, outside of his big swing on Chase Claypool in 2022. He usually has a sharp eye for cornerbacks, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Chicago Bears focus in that direction.

The Chicago Bears were already in purgatory at cornerback with Jaylon Johnson being out. They thought it would get worse with Tyrique Stevenson missing Sunday’s game in Baltimore with a shoulder injury. Apparently, Kyler Gordon saw that and said, “Hold my beer.” The nickel cornerback, having already missed the first four games of the season with a hamstring issue, was placed on Injured Reserve with groin and calf problems. That means he will miss at least the next four games for the Bears, leaving their secondary in shambles.

It also raises questions about Gordon’s future with the team.

Chicago handed him a $40 million extension, believing he could be a critical piece to their defense moving forward. It hasn’t taken long to realize that the decision was ill-advised. Gordon missed nine games with various injuries through his first three seasons. There was always evidence that he struggled to stay healthy. Now he is set to miss at least eight this year, and right when the Bears needed him most. It is approaching time for GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson to start thinking about alternatives.

Kyler Gordon insurance is needed.

For now, his contract is immovable. Technically, the Bears could trade him next spring and take only a $7 million dead cap hit. That said, no team is likely to take on that deal knowing his recent bout with health problems. So they are likely stuck with him for another year. That doesn’t mean the Bears should be idle at cornerback. They have every reason to go hunting for an insurance policy, be it via trade at the upcoming deadline or in the 2026 draft. Kyler Gordon had his chance to prove he can be reliable. That time has passed.

He is such a good player when healthy. Sadly, the Bears have witnessed many similar cases over the years. Mike Brown was one. Kyle Long and Eddie Jackson were others. At some point, you must accept the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. It’s getting to that time with Gordon.

The Chicago Bears matchup on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens just became one of the most important games of the season. Why? Because Lamar Jackson is out — and that changes everything.

This is no longer just another tough AFC opponent on the schedule. It’s a chance for the Bears to prove they can take care of business when the odds finally tilt in their favor. Sitting at 4-2, Chicago has battled its way through early-season growing pains and a few ugly moments on offense. But the defense has carried this team, and with Dennis Allen’s group clicking on all cylinders, this is the type of game they simply have to win. Even if they are down their top four cornerbacks.

No Excuses

The Ravens without Lamar Jackson are a completely different team. His dual-threat ability is what makes Baltimore so dangerous. Sure, Tyler Huntely killed Chicago a few years back but this is a different Bears team. Without Lamar, the Ravens offense becomes far more predictable and easier to contain — especially for a Bears defense that currently leads the NFL in takeaways. Montez Sweat and that front seven should have an easier day if they can keep the Ravens one-dimensional.

Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, meanwhile, need to find some rhythm early. Williams has shown flashes of brilliance but has yet to fully put together a complete performance. This is the week to do it. Baltimore’s defense will try and bring pressure, but the Bears can’t afford another sluggish offensive start. The opportunity is sitting right there to have a repeat performance that mirrors the Cowboys game.

5-2 Would Be Massive

A win Sunday would move Chicago to 5-2 — and that’s enormous for a team trying to keep pace in the NFC North. The Lions and the Packers remain the biggest hurdles. But every game matters, and stacking wins in late October is exactly what Chicago needs to do to maintain pace in the division and the wildcard race.

ESPN Insider Reveals Chicago Bears Trade Target

The Chicago Bears have been dealing with their own issues leading up to Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Their entire secondary is decimated by injuries. Jaylon Johnson is on IR. Now, both Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder) and Kyler Gordon (groin/calf) were declared out. One can understand why fans felt an immediate sense of dread, especially with the prospect of Lamar Jackson returning from his hamstring injury this week. He practiced in full on Friday, offering an indication that the two-time MVP is ready to go.

However, there has been one final twist in that situation. Jackson didn’t work with the starting offense in that practice. He ran the scout team. That is a strong indication he won’t play on Sunday, with Baltimore preferring to hold him out until next Thursday when they play the Miami Dolphins. That means the Bears would see backup Tyler Huntley, who was just elevated from the practice squad. If so, it would be a massive sigh of relief for the Bears.

If you wanted further indications that this is the trending direction, Las Vegas had held the betting line at -6.5 in favor of Baltimore all week. It just dropped to -3.5.

Missing Lamar Jackson would be such a break for the Bears.

Their injury fortunes have been all over the place this season. On the one hand, they have yet to field a totally healthy roster all year. Johnson was hurt even before training camp. Conversely, it seems like all of their opponents have suffered as well. CeeDee Lamb went down in the Dallas game. Terry McLaurin didn’t play in Washington. Joe Burrow is on IR and won’t play next week in Cincinnati. Now Lamar Jackson, too. Pretty crazy.

Huntley beat the Bears in 2021, but hasn’t been great since then. In his last 19 appearances, he has thrown for 2,096 yards, eight touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a 76.1 passer rating. The only saving grace is his mobility, adding 492 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Here is the truth. Huntley has cleared 20 points only once in his NFL career. If Chicago clears that mark, there is a strong probability they will win this game.

Most coaches have established methods for working with young quarterbacks. If the kid can handle lots of information, they open the entire offense to them. However, in many cases, the sheer volume of information can prove too overwhelming. So the coaches simplify the system to make things easier until such a time that the quarterback proves they can handle more. Matt Nagy did this with Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields. Head coach Ben Johnson is not interested in that approach. Caleb Williams is finding this out the hard way.

Adam Jahns of CHGO explained on Waddle & Silvy that there have been no changes to the offense since Johnson arrived. He threw Williams into the deep end and told him to swim. That may seem harsh, but there is a method to the madness. Johnson must find out if his young quarterback is capable of handling a professional offense. He won’t get answers to that question by simplifying everything. Williams needs to demonstrate that he can learn to handle these challenges because that is what championship quarterbacks do.

If he can’t? That tells Johnson everything he needs to know.

Caleb Williams should not expect anything different moving forward.

The Bears quarterback struggled this past week against the New Orleans Saints, throwing for only 176 yards and an interception. It ended up not mattering as the offense chewed up 222 yards on the ground. Still, many have started wondering if Caleb Williams still isn’t grasping the system as much as he could. He’s missing too many opportunities, reverting to his tendencies of scrambling around and looking for big plays.

Johnson is working hard to break him of those habits. That won’t be accomplished by dumbing things down. If Williams wants to be great, he must learn how to play the traditional way. The Bears coach isn’t trying to take away the quarterback’s superpower. He’s interested in making it so that Williams doesn’t rely on it, because that will never work in this league.

There is a right way to play the position. Williams has done it at times this year, but not often enough. Johnson will keep up the pressure until either he breaks or finally figures it out.

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ‘Til your good gets better, and your better gets best.” Those are the now-famous words head coach Ben Johnson chanted to the Chicago Bears locker room after he won his first game against the Dallas Cowboys last month. It was something most fans had never heard before. Most previous coaches rambled on for a few minutes, congratulating players and telling them what they needed to do for next week. Johnson seemed intent on getting the guys fired up about their accomplishment while reminding them that there is always room for improvement.

The interesting question that remained unanswered was where Johnson got it. He was finally asked during his Friday press conference. It turns out this is something he experienced in high school. Johnson was the quarterback for A.C. Reynolds in Asheville, North Carolina. It was something the football team did after every game, constantly pushing players to improve. You can’t say it doesn’t work. The program had a protracted run of consistent success going back 25-30 years. That included Johnson’s junior year when he led the team to a state championship. It’s little wonder he embraced the rally cry.

Ben Johnson understands the importance of psychology.

Yes, these aren’t high school players he’s dealing with in the Bears locker room. Even so, nothing about the chant can be considered amateur or cringeworthy. It is short, easy to remember, and carries the weight of a good message. You did well this time. Now do better the next time. If things unfold that way, the result should be what you want, be it a championship or anything else in life. It’s a good lesson. Ben Johnson isn’t droning on lecturing guys. He wants them to know they can always be better. Smart head coaches always find different ways to communicate that exact message. Everybody from Lombardi to Noll, Walsh, Reid, and Belichick has said a variation of it.

The moment you’re satisfied is the moment your success dies. Never stop striving for more. It has felt like the Bears haven’t had that mindset in a long time.