So far, this season has turned into a pleasant surprise for the Chicago Bears. At 3-2, the Bears are headed into a pretty daunting part of their schedule but have plenty of hope as they are starting to play with an edge.
That edge has come in the form of a nasty pass rush and an offense that keeps running the ball with dedication and consistency.
Seeing Justin Fields get crowned as the permanent starter for the remainder of the season was a reason to celebrate, and now that he’s arrived, it’s time to start focusing on being a competitive football team going forward.
In order to become a more competitive football team, though, the Bears could afford to make a few moves.
Should the Chicago Bears make any deals before the 2021 NFL trade deadline?
The 2021 NFL trade deadline passes on November 2, and the Bears have already made one move. Chicago brought in former Miami Dolphins return specialist and wide receiver Jakeem Grant last week, who has already proven to be better than what they had in the return game.
Aside from adding a return specialist, the Bears should definitely look at trading for some cornerback help. Maybe adding an offensive lineman would be a good idea as well, especially with the team being so thin in that area.
If Ryan Pace wanted to make any more moves before November 2, the following three would be the most ideal trades to make and would also set them up for a brighter future.
The Chicago Bears should trade for Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones
The first deal the Bears should make is to try and find themselves a second starting cornerback. Their secondary has been maybe the weakest part of the team through five games, although Jaylon Johnson has been playing at an elite level.
Outside of Johnson, though, no one has truly stepped up at cornerback. Kindle Vildor has been serviceable at best but is nowhere near the level the Bears need as a starter.
Enter the Miami Dolphins, who are headed nowhere fast. At one point, they were supposed to be a sneaky, potential playoff team this year. But, instead, they’re dealing with an injured Tua Tagovailoa and a defense that’s playing far below expectations.
The Dolphins are paying Byron Jones and Xavier Howard a lot of money, and for what? That unit has been gashed this season, most recently by Tom Brady and the Bucs, to no one’s surprise.
Miami will have to unload one of their corner’s contracts if they want to try and patch the holes going into next season, and the Bears could be the perfect suitor. The only question would be, how does Ryan Pace make room for that $16 million annual salary? That’s for Pace to figure out. For the sake of argument, Jones makes a lot of sense in Chicago.
The Chicago Bears should trade for Eagles tackle Andre Dillard
The Bears just saw Germain Ifedi go down to injury and are already without rookie second-round pick Teven Jenkins for the season. Chicago was so desperate at offensive tackle that they went out and signed 39-year-old Jason Peters to start on the left side.
Now, without Ifedi for maybe a while, it’s Elijah Wilkinson who steps in to start. To be fair, Wilkinson did play very well against the Raiders. But, the Bears need some depth and a potential starter down the line if Wilkinson struggles.
The Eagles, meanwhile, are currently without starter Lane Johnson but are hopeful he returns this year. They also have some depth at tackle and may be able to afford to let one go.
2019 first-round pick Andre Dillard has yet to fully impress and take hold of a starting job, and he might be a perfect trade target for the Bears. Having to play some this season in place of Johnson, Dillard has played pretty well overall. He would certainly be an upgrade in Chicago over Wilkinson, too.
If the Bears could snag Dillard for something along the lines of a fifth or sixth-round pick, that would be a great value. The question is, would Philadelphia let go of him for that price, even though he doesn’t appear to be a staple in their future plans?
The Chicago Bears should trade pass rusher Robert Quinn
I understand not wanting to disrupt a good thing, and that’s exactly what the Bears have going right now with their pass rush. Robert Quinn has come out playing just as one would expect a guy to play who’s in the midst of a 5-year, $70 million contract.
Through five games, Quinn has 4.5 sacks and is getting pressure at an incredible rate. Between him and Khalil Mack, the Bears finally have the duo that Ryan Pace dreamt of having when he signed Quinn.
However, that huge contract is going to become an issue as the Bears move forward. They will have some holes to fill in free agency next year and also must pay to extend Roquan Smith. Saving money against the cap by trading Quinn would set them up for a much easier offseason.
Trading Quinn would also allow Trevis Gipson to shine even more. Through this point, Gipson has a pair of sacks in limited snaps. The second-year pro is playing pretty well and looks like he could handle a bigger role.
The Bears could also use the extra draft capital after trading up to get both Justin Fields and Teven Jenkins in this year’s draft. Moving Quinn, all in all, would be a positive move for the Bears.