There are not many times where an NFL team could have a shot at getting an elite player in a trade, but the Chicago Bears might have a chance at it if the deck works in their favor.
The Bears have shown through general manager Ryan Poles that they are hesitant to make bold trades for fear of losing valuable draft picks. ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak shared 10 bold predictions for the 2026 season, including the Bears making a trade with the Indianapolis Colts to acquire running back Jonathan Taylor.
"The Bears make perfect sense. D'Andre Swift had a strong 2025 season, but he has not been reliable and has dealt with injuries for much of his career. Kyle Monangai is a likable thumper but not for more than 10 or so carries per game. If the Bears' offense coalesces into a top-five unit -- certainly possible given how they finished the 2025 season -- they might be fishing at the deadline for a field-tipping running back to give them an additional edge. Chicago's rushing attack led the league in success rate last season, thanks in large part to great line play and excellent scheming from coach Ben Johnson. Now imagine that group with a home run hitter like Taylor breaking into the second level."
New Bears bold prediction would completely change the franchise forever
This would be a franchise-altering move for the Bears to get one of the NFL's best running backs. Taylor has been a force over the last six years, rushing for over 1,000 yards in four of those years, with the other two years missing six or seven games to injury.
Last season, Taylor tied a career-high in touchdowns with 18 and rushed for 1,585 yards, the second most of his career. While the Colts missed the postseason last year after quarterback Daniel Jones' injury, Taylor tried to keep them in the playoff mix as much as possible.
That would leave the Bears with an interesting situation in the backfield, as they might include Swift in that trade since he is in the final year of his contract. Monangai would be the perfect complement to Taylor, as the Colts back is closing in on age 30, but if the Bears' 2025 seventh-round pick can take some carries off his hands, that would help in the longevity of Taylor's NFL career.
In reality, that would probably not be a move the Bears would make, as Poles has other important things to handle, like the defense, which would need more attention at the trade deadline. Swift had a rough 2024 season with the Bears because the offensive line was bad, but last year showed that he can be a number one running back, so Solak might be too quick to dismiss him. Also, Monangai has already proven he can handle 10 or more carries a game, as he did it seven times last year, with five of those games having him averaging four or more yards per carry, including two 100-yard games.
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If Taylor is available via trade, the Bears should entertain the idea only if it doesn't require them to sell the whole farm to get him. It isn't a bad idea, though, to pair Taylor and Monangai together, as the two would be a dominant force together that could potentially lead them to a Super Bowl title as the last piece to the puzzle.
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