Last offseason was a masterclass in building a roster for the Chicago Bears, and general manager Ryan Poles seems to be in a good rhythm with the job after a slow start with the team.
Landing key players like Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson in trades last offseason completely changed how the offense was viewed. Those two and Drew Dalman's addition to the offensive line literally transformed the offense from the worst in 2024 to a top-10 unit in 2025.
Bears fans are hoping Poles will do more of the same this offseason, but ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter's update on trades in the league could certainly change things. While appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Schefter said the NFL is considering raising the trade limit on three-year draft picks from five to 10.
Ryan Poles might have a real chance at doing some insane deals
This offseason, the Bears fan base wants Poles and the team to be more aggressive with trades and free agency. The number one position they want the team to address is defensive end, after the team had just 35 sacks last year.
Getting a partner for Montez Sweat on the defensive line would change this team from being a playoff team to a Super Bowl contender in a heartbeat. Having the ability to trade five years of draft picks could certainly open the door for some creativity for Poles and company.
Two big names who have been mentioned as candidates for the Bears to sign or trade for are Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby. Landing either guy would be huge for the Bears, but it would likely cost them a lot of money and draft picks, or most likely both.
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At this point, the future has already been set for the Bears after their stellar 2025 draft class, so losing some picks in a deal is not the worst thing. If Chicago can't land a big-name edge rusher, though, that leaves the Bears in an interesting situation, so Poles needs to work his magic, and the NFL could help with that.