Chicago Bears: 5 bold predictions for final 2021 roster cuts

4. Chicago Bears Roster Predictions: Bears trade for Xavien Howard

One of the most worrisome positions for the Bears currently lies at cornerback. Jaylon Johnson is the locked and loaded starter, but beyond Johnson, the Bears are hurting.

Kindle Vildor’s stock has gone down in the past couple of weeks after he had a strong start to training camp. Desmond Trufant has been out for a very long time, dealing with personal matters. Artie Burns has not shown anything in the preseason to make Bears coaches confident in playing him during a regular-season game.

Duke Shelley continues to struggle and get beat in preseason play. The same can be said for Tre Roberson. Xavier Crawford isn’t an NFL cornerback, period.

So, where do the Bears turn? They could wait for cuts to happen and go sign one or two from other teams. Or, they could take their shot on a trade.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard has been vocal about his displeasure with his contract situation over the offseason. Although the Dolphins restructured Howard’s deal, nothing is set in stone. He very well could still want out, and if the Bears presented the Dolphins with an intriguing offer, who knows what could happen.

Let’s say the Bears offer somebody like Akiem Hicks and a future second-round pick. Is that enough for the Dolphins to bite? You’ve got to realize that Miami is also paying top-tier money to Byron Jones at the opposite cornerback position. Do the Dolphins want to get stuck in a place where they can’t afford the money Howard might once again ask for in the future?