Most of the trade buzz is centering around Maxx Crosby at the moment. This is no surprise, given his immense value as a pass rusher. However, he isn’t the only name involved in discussions around the league. It appears wide receiver DJ Moore also has the eye of several teams. Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles made it clear the team loves him, but the economics of their situation make any decision on next season tricky. Trading him would clear $16 million in cap space and net the team some much-needed draft capital.

The challenge, as always, is finding the right taker. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the team to watch right now is the New England Patriots. The Super Bowl runner-up watched their young quarterback look anemic in the playoffs against some of the league’s best defenses. Stefon Diggs was mostly invisible in the playoffs, proving the team didn’t really have a second option at wide receiver. Pairing him with Moore would give young quarterback Drake Maye some help.

One Bears player plenty around the league are keeping an eye on is wide receiver D.J. Moore. The former first-round pick is coming off his least productive year of his career. The Patriots could be a landing spot for Moore if the Bears do a deal involving the receiver, or he could be part of a hypothetical package that goes to a needy Las Vegas team in a deal for Crosby.

DJ Moore to the Patriots opens up several doors.

New England has $39 million in cap space and the capability to create more. They should have zero issues absorbing Moore’s contract. They’ll also have him under control through 2029, giving them a measure of stability on offense as Maye continues to grow. From the Bears’ side, shedding that $16 million in salary, along with Drew Dalman’s retirement, gets them back under the salary cap and in a position to start retooling their roster. Along with the $15 million expected from either trading or cutting Tremaine Edmunds, that opens the door for a potential big move if they wish to make one.

As for compensation? New England has two 4th round picks in this year’s draft. It wouldn’t be much of an issue for them to flip one to Chicago for Moore’s services. They could also give up a 3rd if that’s not enough and still have those two 4ths. Much depends on how much of a market DJ Moore has. The belief is that it will be determined by the situation with A.J. Brown in Philadelphia. Teams who miss out on him might feel compelled to secure a consolation prize. Moore would be the obvious fallback plan.

The Bears have a tough decision to make.

Under ideal conditions, they’d keep DJ Moore as another weapon for Caleb Williams. Sadly, it’s not ideal. They’re in a tough cap situation, and some believe he and the young quarterback still don’t have the best chemistry despite their heroics together last season. Flipping him to New England makes sense for the reasons above, but also another. It keeps him on a contending team. Moore has done great work in Chicago. The last thing they want to do is exile him to a perennial loser. The Patriots will keep his chances to chase a ring open.

Meanwhile, the Bears will move forward with Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland as their primary weapons in the passing game. It is a younger and more explosive group. All seem to have the full trust of Williams. It will be interesting to see when something happens. Usually, teams like to make their moves before free agency begins. However, some deals can wait until closer to the draft. Chicago has no reason to rush the market, so this could be a slow burner.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles confirmed last week that the team has been receiving calls about the availability of quarterback Tyson Bagent. Rumors first surfaced when insiders close to the Arizona Cardinals said new head coach Mike Lafleur was intrigued by Bagent. Poles revealed that other teams were involved as well, suggesting a serious market is forming for the 25-year-old. That isn’t entirely a surprise, given that both free agency and the draft look weak at the position.

Normally, in a situation like this, we don’t know if a trade is real until it happens. Teams prefer to keep their interest completely secret. Well, everybody except the New York Jets, apparently. Something wild took place on Twitter (X) last week. When the Poles’ revelation about the Bears receiving calls went out, a Jets fan posted a photo of Bagent in green and white.

Three hours later, something insane happened. The Jets’ actual Twitter (X) account responded to that tweet, posting a video of insider Ian Rapoport discussing the possibility of Bagent joining New York. It stayed up for over a week without anyone noticing. However, it started gaining attention on March 3rd and was quickly deleted.

The Jets’ interest in Tyson Bagent seems undeniable.

Nothing like this has ever happened before with the account of an actual team posting a tweet about another player they don’t employ. If that isn’t a declaration of interest, nothing is. It isn’t hard to see why. New York has no starting quarterback. The Justin Fields experiment is over. Luring free agents after the year they just had will be impossible. Head coach Aaron Glenn worked with Ben Johnson for years in Detroit. If the Bears’ head coach signs off on the capability of a quarterback, Glenn is certain to take notice.

Last but not least, the Jets have the ammunition to make a trade. They have four picks in the first two rounds alone of this draft. Rumors say the Bears want a 2nd rounder for Bagent. New York could easily flip the latter of their two 2nds to Chicago for Bagent and still have two 1sts and a high 2nd to address the rest of their roster. It is either that or take a gamble on a rookie, which sounds inadvisable with this draft class. Bagent is under contract for two more years at a low price. He’s been developed by a good coach. If it doesn’t work out, the Jets should be able to turn back around and go after a QB in a much better class next year.

Bagent’s desire might be weighed in this scenario.

Remember, the Bears are under no obligation to trade the young quarterback. Everybody in the building loves him. They would prefer he stick around. However, they also know he desires to eventually become a starter in the league. If the Jets offer him that opportunity, would he take it? New York doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation around the league these days. Glenn just got done replacing his entire offensive staff, relying on names like Frank Reich, who had been out of the league for 2 years.

Would Tyson Bagent be willing to bet what could be his one and only chance to start on a situation like that? Now, the good news is that the Jets have assembled an intriguing offense. Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou headline a talented offensive line while Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, and Breece Hall offer a strong cast of weapons. If Reich can install a decent system, it could work. Everything depends on how confident Bagent is that he can handle the immense pressure of playing in New York.

His experience in Chicago may actually be a great benefit in that regard. Either way, the Jets may have accidentally tipped their hand.

Expectations are that a resolution is coming on the Maxx Crosby front, one way or another, in the next week or so. Either the star defensive end would work things out with the Las Vegas Raiders, or he’d be traded. There is no shortage of suitors. Several teams have been in contact with the Raiders about a potential deal, including NFC heavyweights like the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. Are the Chicago Bears even involved? Yes. They’ve been keeping tabs on the Crosby situation since it began unfolding at the end of the regular season.

What hasn’t been known is where the 29-year-old himself stands on the matter. He has not openly requested a trade, but there have been rumblings that he wants to win. The Raiders are entering another rebuild phase, and that will take time. Crosby’s prime won’t last much longer. He wants to go somewhere he can chase a championship. Does he have a preferred destination? As a matter of fact, he does. Benjamin Allbright of KOA Colorado, one of the most accurate NFL insiders in the business, dropped this little nugget.

Maxx Crosby to Chicago started feeling realistic a couple of weeks ago.

That was when quarterback Caleb Williams appeared on his podcast. The two spoke for an hour about various topics, including Crosby’s immense respect for Williams and the team’s accomplishments last season. It’s clear he has been paying close attention from afar. The timing of the appearance felt incredibly coincidental. Did Williams have it on good authority that Chicago had a real shot at landing the star pass rusher? This update from Allbright certainly gives that theory massive weight.

Remember, this is the same guy who correctly predicted the Bears would trade for Jonah Jackson. That was on March 1st, shortly before free agency began. If he’s saying this about Crosby now, it means he’s got reliable information. If the defensive end makes it clear he’d like to go to Chicago, it should make it easier to facilitate a deal. The tricky part, as Allbright mentioned, is the money. Right now, the Bears are still over the salary cap. They’d need to clear up lots of space to fit Crosby’s hefty $35 million cap hit onto the books.

A recent setback may ironically help the Bears there.

That is the sudden retirement of center Drew Dalman. While it is a significant loss for the Bears’ offensive line, it will clear out $10 million in cap space. Together with the expected trade release of Tremaine Edmunds, that will be $25 million. If the Bears were to trade D.J. Moore, as has been speculated for months, that would secure another $16 million. So there are moves they can make to get there, along with restructuring current contracts like Montez Sweat and Joe Thuney.

Better still, the Bears won’t be saddled with those precarious contracts for more than a year. They can cut several guys for significant cap relief in 2027. Maxx Crosby is under contract through 2029, so the Bears would control him for years to come. If he stays healthy, you’re looking at a guy who will give them 10-12 sacks every year. Even more if they find some interior pass rush help. This is a big opportunity for the Bears. It comes down to finding a trade package both teams can live with.

Last year, the Chicago Bears took advantage of the Kansas City Chiefs being in a salary cap crunch by trading for star left guard Joe Thuney. It only cost them a 4th round pick, and Thuney became an All-Pro in 2025, helping the Bears reach the playoffs. Now some are wondering if lightning could strike twice. Lots of the trade buzz around Chicago lately has been centered on Maxx Crosby, the Raiders’ superstar pass rusher. However, the price tag to get him is going to be steep. At least one 1st round pick and maybe two. However, an alternative may have just opened up in Minnesota. It appears the Vikings are shopping Jonathan Greenard.

Minnesota signed the pass rusher in 2024, and he immediately made the Pro Bowl with 12 sacks. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury slowed him last season, and now his contract has become too expensive for the cash-strapped Vikings. Greenard has two years left on his deal and turns 29 in May.

This idea is far more appealing to Chicago for two reasons. First, Greenard’s contract is less expensive than Crosby’s would be. Around $16 million less per year. Second, the price tag to get him is far lower, with Minnesota hoping to receive a “day two” pick for him, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. That means a 2nd or 3rd. Far less than Crosby as well.

Jonathan Greenard is the much more sensible pursuit.

The Bears can more easily fit his contract onto their books than Crosby’s. His skill set as a speed rusher also aligns with what they need. With Montez Sweat, they already have their power guy. Greenard would be a perfect complement to him. Look at it this way. Giving up a 2nd round pick might sound steep, but that selection is towards the back end of the round. The Bears would retain their 1st-round pick, allowing them to address another position of need, such as left tackle or defensive tackle. Would you rather gamble on a proven commodity like Greenard or on a 2nd-round offensive or defensive lineman?

Obviously, the question is whether Minnesota would consider trading him to Chicago. They are division rivals, after all. The Vikings made significant deals with Detroit and Green Bay. They swung a deal with the Lions for T.J. Hockenson and then allowed the Packers to move up for Christian Watson in the 2022 draft. Of course, all of that was done with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as the general manager. He was fired a few weeks ago. It isn’t known if his replacement would be as open to the idea.

The Bears need to decide how aggressive they want to be.

Drew Dalman’s sudden retirement complicated matters. Suddenly, they have two key offensive line positions to address in addition to defensive tackle and edge rusher. They must be sure a trade for Jonathan Greenard solves one of those problems. If they can somehow get him without giving up a 2nd round pick, that would be a big win. Philadelphia got Jaelan Phillips for a 3rd rounder last year. That feels like the ballpark for what Minnesota can get for Greenard, given his contract and recent injury problem.

This move would allow the Bears to narrow their focus going into the 2026 draft. Their 25th overall pick could go for either a new left tackle or a defensive tackle. The latter would certainly make Chicago’s front look far more imposing than last year. A trio of Greenard, Montez Sweat, and Austin Booker might finally give them a rotation that offenses can’t escape.

The Chicago Bears thought they had finally solved center.

Now they’re back to work.

The official retirement announcement came on Tuesday, confirming that Drew Dalman is stepping away from football at just 27 years old. However, new details reveal this decision wasn’t a surprise inside Halas Hall.

Dalman informed the Bears of his retirement ahead of the open negotiation period on Monday, giving the front office clarity before the market officially opened.

That timing matters.

The Contract

Dalman signed a three-year, $42M deal in March 2025 that included $28M guaranteed and a $6M signing bonus. He played just one season, made the Pro Bowl, earned roughly $34M of that $42M total, and is now retiring.

Good for him.

Tough break for Chicago.

The Bears believed they had found their long-term anchor in the middle, someone to grow with franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.

Instead, they’re pivoting.

The Timing

According to team sources, Dalman made his decision known before the legal tampering window opened. That allowed general manager Ryan Poles and his front office to immediately shift gears.

They’re already exploring the veteran market.

And that’s the key development.

The Plan: Protect Caleb Williams With Experience

Yes, this draft class is deep at center.

But the early preference inside Halas Hall is clear: pair Caleb Williams with a veteran not a rookie.

That approach makes sense.

Williams is entering another critical year in his development. Continuity and communication up front matter. Centers set protections. They make line calls. They handle pressure looks. That’s not a position you casually hand to a rookie if you can avoid it.

Poles has shown he values stability around his quarterback.

This feels like another example.

No Panic

The Bears didn’t want this.

But they weren’t blindsided either.

Because Dalman gave them advance notice, Chicago isn’t operating from desperation. They’re working the market with a plan already in place. They are already hosting free agent center Tyler Biadasz on a visit. The former Commanders starter was recently released and now is available before the frenzy begins.

The draft remains deep at center, but don’t be surprised if Chicago signs a veteran in the coming days to solidify the middle of the offensive line.

The Bears thought they had their guy.

Now they’re making sure Caleb Williams still does.

Just when it seemed like the Chicago Bears were getting their offensive line in order after years of instability, real life slaps them in the face. Drew Dalman, their marquee free agent signing from last year, made his first Pro Bowl at center for the team. Unfortunately, something seems to have affected his life so much that he has decided to retire from the NFL at the age of 27. It isn’t clear what drove the decision, but the typical motivation in such cases is health-related.

Whatever the case may be, this turns the Bears’ entire offseason plan on its head. Most felt the focus of this spring would be securing a possible left tackle to complete the offensive line and retooling the defense. Now, suddenly, the Bears are left with having once again to find a solution at center.

The good news is they may already have a plan in place. Albert Breer of MMQB reported that the team has been sniffing around three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, set to become a free agent after a successful run in Baltimore. He would certainly be the best qualified to replace Dalman.

Drew Dalman leaving hurts. There is no getting around it.

Much of the Bears’ entire offensive plan involved him when they offered that contract last year. Was he contemplating retirement even then? He missed eight games in 2024 with injuries. It’s fair to wonder if the long 2025 season had taxed his body to a point where he wasn’t comfortable continuing. Whatever the case, his exit hangs the Bears out to dry. Now they’re left having to allocate resources to a position they thought was settled. They’re already meeting with veteran Tyler Biadasz, fresh off being released by Washington.

Biadasz has been a solid player throughout most of his career. While nobody would confuse him as one of the premier centers in the league, he would at least give the Bears some stability as they try working through this crisis. The highest-rated center in the NFL draft is Auburn’s Connor Lew. He has that ideal mix of agility, intelligence, and anchor in pass protection. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in October of last year. Chicago would probably have to wait before he’s ready. There is also Logan Jones of Iowa. The Hawkeyes of a long history of excellent offensive line play, and Jones is no exception. He’s undersized but athletic, polished, and absolutely ferocious.

No group is hurt more by the Dalman news than the defense.

It was expected that the Bears would allocate most of their resources this offseason to that side of the ball, hoping to get younger and faster. Now that the two most important positions on the offensive line have been vacated, there is no way head coach Ben Johnson will allow it to stay that way. He and Poles will do everything in their power to secure at least one of those positions, which could require either a lot of money or a top draft pick. The defense may rely mostly on bargain free agents and later picks for the second straight year.

The Bears will have to make some compromises in certain areas, postponing legitimate upgrades at certain positions until a later date. Center must be a priority. It is crucial to Johnson’s entire offensive approach. That is why Drew Dalman was their primary free agent pursuit last season. If they land Linderbaum? Fantastic. That solves the problem. If not, things get trickier.