The Chicago Bears have won three games in a row after an 0-2 start, and their next four games look as favorable as any in the league. The first year of the Ben Johnson era is about setting a sustainable foundation though, regardless of playoff contention status, so the idea of a notable trade lands as unlikely.
That being said, the Bears are in position where they could be a buyer, a seller or both as the trade deadline creeps closer, depending on opportunities that are out there. Players who aren't seen as part of the future, or even perhaps the present as things have developed, could be gone on or before Nov. 4. Right or wrong, general manager Ryan Poles won't hesitate to do something if there is an opportunity to make a deal.
Bears offload a former starter in ESPN trade proposal
Among his baker's dozen of new trade proposals as the deadline approaches, ESPN's Bill Barnwell has the Bears offloading a former starter.
"Raiders get: OT Braxton Jones
Bears get: Edge Tyree Wilson'
"Let's make bets on two frustrating players." Barnwell wrote. "Jones entered the season with a potentially massive contract riding on his performance at left tackle for the Bears, but the Ben Johnson regime quickly soured on the player it inherited on Caleb Williams' blindside."
"Though he was the Week 1 starter, Jones didn't last long in the lineup. He was pulled in the first half against the Raiders in Week 4 and didn't play a single offensive snap against the Commanders on Monday night (Week 6)."
It's been a small sample, basically a game and half, but Theo Benedet has done well enough at left tackle to continue to start there. Rookie Ozzie Trapilo is the backup at both tackle spots, and if Benedet were to be injured there might be a conversation about moving right tackle Darnell Wright to the left side.
That leaves Jones as the odd-man out. He was the Week 1 starter at left tackle by default more than actually winning the job, and bad performances in three of the first four games led to him being benched. But a left tackle with 44 starts mostly "fine" starts on his resume would be helpful to a lot of other teams.
The Raiders are going to be without left tackle Kolton Miller for a while after he suffered a serious ankle injury during their Week 4 loss to the Bears. Stone Forsythe, as expected, has been a lackluster fill-in amid broader struggles to adequately protect Geno Smith.
With that in mind, Barnwell offered some faint praise for Jones while professing him as a fit for the Raiders.
"Even a below-average left tackle like Jones would be a massive upgrade on what the Raiders are likely to run out over the next couple of months, and they could potentially land a compensatory pick if Jones leaves after the season. Adding what might be essentially a short-term tackle could seem odd for a team out of playoff contention in the AFC, but the Raiders just need to be able to reliably run their offense right now."
The question within Barnwell's trade proposal sending Jones to Las Vegas is this. Would the Raiders trade Wilson? He has undoubtedly underachieved so far in his career, but he seems to be finding his way and he's making a strong case to play more. Pete Carroll's comments from earlier this week also suggest Wilson is not someone the Raiders are looking to give up on.
While it might be nice for the Bears to keep Jones around for depth at offensive tackle, he also won't be back in 2026, and thus, he's a tradeable asset.
Read more: Buzz about ideal trade fit for the Bears is growing (and becoming unavoidable)
The Raiders make sense as a potential suitor, even if specifically trading Wilson seems unlikely. If not them, then maybe someone else in need of an experienced left tackle will give Poles an opportunity to offload Jones for a current and/or future asset.