Bears urged to make draft day trade with Giants (but would it be the right move?)

If there is one thing that we know about the Chicago Bears entering the 2026 NFL Draft, it is that they need to address the edge rusher position at some point. If the board does not break their way, they may need to find that rusher via a trade.

One name that comes up often in trade rumors is New York Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. He is due a new contract, and he is essentially the third edge rusher behind Abdul Carter and Brian Burns. With a new coaching staff, he could be on the block.

Mo Moton of Bleacher Report did a chaotic mock draft, and he had the Bears trading their 25th overall to the Giants. In the deal, the team gets a second-round pick this year, a third-round pick next year, and Thibodeaux in exchange for the 25th overall pick and Tyrique Stevenson.

"With limited cap space, the Bears acquire Thibodeaux, who's in the final year of his rookie contract, and trade Tyrique Stevenson, a starting-caliber cornerback in the final term of his deal. Chicago can use the No. 37 pick on a new boundary defender for its secondary."
Mo Moton

Will the Chicago Bears trade for Kayvon Thibodeaux in the 2026 NFL draft?

This does not feel like a good trade for the Bears. First, as Moton mentions, both Thibodeaux and Stevenson are in the final year of their deals. Thibodeaux is valued higher, but not by much, especially when you factor in that you will be paying Thibodeaux more than Stevenson. Stevenson is a starter on the outside, so they created a new hole to plug the other.

Next, they send pick 25 for 37 and a third next year. Next year's draft is good, but the difference may not be the difference between Thibodeaux and Stevenson, especially when you factor in the contracts.

Finally, Moton now has the Giants taking Keldric Faulk 25th. Faulk can rush inside at times, but this is more of a Thibodeaux replacement than a Dexter Lawrence replacement. New York is supposed to be trading their excess of edge rushers to get talent at other positions.

On the Bears' side, trading off Faulk, a younger, cheaper edge rusher, for Thibodeaux, an older edge rusher that they have to pay, would cause fans to lose their ever-loving minds.

Chicago trading for Thibodeaux because a run on edge rushers happened earlier than expected, and players like Faulk are gone is one thing. The Bears trading off of Faulk to pay more money for less potential would be wild.

The Giants using picks to trade up makes sense; the Bears trading for Thibodeaux makes sense, but the two sides may get there by different routes.

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