Every NFL team is working hard as the trade deadline approaches to make deals before it ends, and the Chicago Bears are watching their rivals, the Detroit Lions, put in the work.
Multiple trades have already occurred in the hours after Sunday's football action concluded. The Jacksonville Jaguars have been the most active, but the Lions joined the conversation with a trade.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the Lions are trading a 2028 sixth-round pick to the New York Jets to acquire safety Andre Cisco. That move makes Detroit better, but it also has fans dreaming of Bears general manager Ryan Poles doing the same.
Lions made the move that Ryan Poles has to make for the Bears
Chicago's secondary has been a mess this season, especially at cornerback. Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson have been a problem for most of the season.
Stevenson may be in worse shape right now, as he is not only struggling with his performance but also can't stay healthy. He left the Bears' Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a hand injury. Starting nickel corner Kyler Gordon was also banged up in the Bucs game, but would return.
Johnson entered Week 9 allowing a passer rating of 129 and a completion percentage of over 70. Unlike Stevenson, he bounced back against Tampa Bay, allowing just one catch on five targets for six yards, and he got a pick-six.
With all those complications, plus Coby Bryant still working through his injury on IR, the Bears' secondary is in a weird place, and no one knows whether it's good. Many fans are still calling for Chicago to make a trade to improve the position group.
Detroit decided to make a change after posting the NFL's worst pass defense, allowing 260.9 yards per game. Chicago ranks 14th in the same category, allowing 219.8 yards per game.
The Bears might be one piece away from being Super Bowl contenders. Detroit and Chicago are neck and neck in the NFC North, so someone has to make a move.
Bears have plenty of secondary targets to go after in a trade
New York Jets cornerback Nahshon Wright feels like the most logical and easiest trade to make. Wright was a Pro Bowler in Chicago last year after forcing a league-high 10 turnovers. He has been reduced to a benchwarmer in New York, with only three games played all season.
Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris worked his magic with Wright last season and could get the same kind of production from him. Even if Wright ends up not starting, he'ddoesn't start would at least be a great depth piece on the roster.
Other top names to consider at cornerback include the Los Angeles Chargers' Donte Jackson, the Philadelphia Eagles' Riq Woolen, and the Tennessee Titans' Alontae Taylor. All three may have had mixed performances this season, but they share one common denominator: lower passer ratings and completion percentages than Johnson and Stevenson allow.
This position can't be ignored for the rest of the season. Rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad has a chance to be a great defensive back for the Bears, but they need a veteran who can come in and help right away, at least to replace Stevenson for now.
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Detroit's trade put them on the same level as the Bears in terms of what the rosters need to be Super Bowl contenders. This, if anything, signals that the Lions are not messing around. Chicago better be ready to make a move right away and get this secondary in the right position for the rest of the 2026 season.
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