Chicago Bears Who Could Be Traded
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
DL Jay Ratliff – He will have to prove he is healthy now that his suspension is over, but if he plays anywhere close to how he did last season then Ratliff would have significant trade value. Ratliff is a rare player who is versatile enough to play in either a 4-3 or 3-4 and provide both an interior pass rush and solid run defense. He is a free agent after the season and isn’t a lock to come back to the Bears. I’m sure the Bears would be interested in bringing him back, but he may not want to end his career on a rebuilding team. Ratliff is another player I would hate to see the Bears trade, but they risk losing him for nothing in the offseason if they don’t move him before the trade deadline.
C Will Montgomery – With multiple competitive teams suffering through injuries and poor play on their interior o-line there may be a market for a solid C/G like Montgomery. He hasn’t been great, but has been a solid run blocker and doesn’t make many mistakes. Montgomery would provide quality depth if not an upgrade at center for probable contenders like the Chargers, Falcons, Broncos, Colts, and Seahawks. The Bears wouldn’t get more than a day 3 pick for him, but Montgomery is a free agent after the season so they could lose him for nothing in a few months. The Bears also have 2015 3rd round pick Hroniss Grasu as a backup , who may not be ready, but could use the snaps to speed up his development.
ILB Shea McClellin – Wishful thinking. It’s possible that some other team may think McClellin still has some of the potential that once made him a first round pick (1 pick ahead of Chandler Jones, ugh). The Bears have tried McClellin at four positions in four years and he hasn’t been above average at any of them. He has yet to make an impact at ILB, he struggles to shed blocks, and has a hard time covering fast tight ends and slot receivers. McClellin has put up decent tackle numbers (23 total) but most of them have come 4-5 yards downfield after he’s been driven off the line of scrimmage. The Bears already declined his 5th year option and McClellin is probably better off with a change of scenery. If the Bears can get a 7th rounder for him they should consider themselves lucky.
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