Chicago Bears: 3 ways Ryan Pace will screw up the trade deadline

The Chicago Bears and Ryan Pace must bring back a solid return

Let’s assume for a minute that Ryan Pace does not make either mistake number one or mistake number two. This means the Chicago Bears were not too aggressive at the deadline, bringing in players who may help a little this year but are not going to help enough to make the playoffs. Players who are not really part of the team’s future with Justin Fields.

This also means that Ryan Pace did not sit on his hands and he made at least one move at the trade deadline. Remember, it takes two to tango. If other teams are not interested, then Pace cannot force a team to make a move. That said, with teams like the Rams making trades for veterans like Von Miller, then I would not be shocked if other contenders are not interested in the likes of some of the Bears’ veterans.

Jimmy Graham has not seen much action this year and it is surprising that he is still on the roster. Paying him $5.3 million this season, while restructuring the deal to now how him $4.6 million next season is mismanagement of financial resources. This contract could cause him to not be tradeable, but maybe a team in need of red zone help could put Graham’s body of work to good use. He did have eight touchdowns last year.

Akiem Hicks is a monster on the line but is constantly dealing with injuries. Playing yesterday should help his draft stock though. I could see a team like the Dallas Cowboys giving the Bears what they need for Hicks. As a rental player who will cost a team roughly $5.5 million in additional salary, Hicks will not bring back a return like Von Miller did yesterday. That said if Pace trades him for anything less than a fifth-rounder he failed.

In fact, here is how I see the value of the players the Bears should consider selling today before the trade deadline. Anything less than these returns and Ryan Pace screwed up the 2021 NFL trade deadline.

• Akiem Hicks, DT – 5th-rounder or better
• Allen Robinson, WR – 3rd-rounder or better
• Danny Trevathan, ILB – 6th-rounder or better
• Robert Quinn, OLB – two 6th-rounders or better
• Jimmy Graham, TE – 7th-rounder or better
• Nick Foles, QB – 6th-rounder or better
• Andy Dalton, QB – 5th-rounder or better

I have these players as the only players who are likely to be traded, but in reality, I don’t see any change happening today. I think Ryan Pace falls into mistake number two and screws up the 2021 trade deadline.