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Should the Bears become buyers for potential fire sales near the NFL trade deadline?

ryan taylor
·4 min read
9

Should the Bears become buyers for potential fire sales near the NFL trade deadline? originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

This NFL season is flying. And the trade deadline is two weeks away. Now is the time for NFL teams to figure out how they'll operate at the trade deadline.

In the event of a few potential tear-downs unfolding around the league, should the Bears jump in to clean up the mess?

Let's start with perusing the league, first, to view our potential fire sale candidates.

Denver Broncos

You wouldn't believe the Bears lost to this dumpster fire. But they did.

Anyhow, there have been several strong reports alluding to an inevitable selloff for the Broncos. They currently lead their division in losses and are promising to be one of the NFL's worst teams. Sean Payton and Russell Wilson aren't working together. It's time to restart.

The Broncos have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. Pass rusher Frank Clark, cornerback Patrick Surtain III, safety Justin Simmons and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy are just a few names who could be on the trade block.

Remember, Denver's roster has been building up for a playoff push. And while together they aren't successful, there are solid players in a vacuum.

Minnesota Vikings

This will ultimately be a tough sell for the Vikings to give some pieces over to the Bears, considering they share a division. Still, it's been done before.

The Vikings are in the midst of a major downfall after finishing 13-4 last season. They hold a 1-4 record and appear to be one of the worst groups in the league. An arduous, unsuccessful stint with Kirk Cousins could have the Vikings pondering the next steps.

Rumors about a trade for Cousins to the New York Jets to fill in the void of Aaron Rodgers have been swirling. What's more, the Vikings already lost Dalvin Cook and Za'Darius Smith over the offseason.

The Vikings would likely hold onto the likes of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Christian Darrisaw, etc., in a theoretical selloff. But, Danielle Hunter, Byron Murphy Jr., Harrison Smith? Not so sure.

Arizona Cardinals/New York Giants/New England Patriots

I mention these teams in a cluster because they're all question marks.

Will they blow up? Are the Cardinals already blown up? It's tough to gauge.

There's potential for a strong number of intriguing names to be available near the trade deadline. Should the Bears jump to the punch on availability?

One important caveat to consider --- should the Bears be firing on all cylinders in the trade market? They have an abundance of draft capital, which means they have the ammunition to acquire significant names from broken teams. But it might be detrimental to throw away those opportunities in the draft.

As it stands, the Bears own the first and third-draft picks in the upcoming NFL draft. Obviously, they don't have to trade their first-round picks. But every pick they own is at the top of the round.

Also, remember the last trade deadline acquisition the Bears made? They traded the No. 32 pick in the 2023 NFL draft for Chase Claypool. And that didn't work out. That shouldn't dictate how the Bears operate in the trade market. But still, something to consider.

The Bears have a valid case to become sellers, too. They're currently 1-4. Their playoff odds don't look too hot. Of course, teams like the 2022 Detroit Lions have shown teams they can have one win through seven weeks and make a run at the playoffs. Still, it's unlikely.

And the Bears have expiring veteran contracts they can take advantage of by selling to contenders. They didn't extend Jaylon Johnson or Darnell Mooney last offseason. Do they envision both of them as part of their long-term plan? What about Eddie Jackson? He's two months away from being on the wrong side of 30.

The Bears have been reportedly floating Johnson and Jackson's names around the league. This is a strong litmus test to gauge the potential of their market value. It's a viable option to move on from expiring contracts for players you don't envision in the long-term plan. That said, are they willing to part ways with two key players?

Keep an ear to the ground on this one. The assets might be too valuable to forfeit. But for a team like the Bears --- whose roster is on the rise, regardless of their record --- they might have their eyes set on some talent on the move.

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