Three Bears on the chopping block as calendar turns to November

Entering Week 9, the Chicago Bears are in decent shape with a 4-3 record and hoping to make a run back to the postseason for the first time since 2020.

Despite coming off a 30-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8, the Bears have still looked like a better team than they did a season ago. They need to clean up on the penalties and mistakes, but they are still looking like a good football team and a more polished one.

There are three players entering a tough November who might be experiencing their last November on the team, as they could be either traded in the month or be free agents in the offseason.

Braxton Jones, LT

In the first four starts to the season, Jones struggled as the Bears couldn't get the running game going and was inconsistent in pass blocking that lead to Chicago head coach Ben Johnson making a change to Theo Benedet at left tackle after the bye week and while the second-year player hasn't been perfect, the running game is better and the pass protection also improved. If Jones wasn't on IR, he would have been traded, but don't expect him back in 2026.

Cole Kmet, TE

This isn't Kmet's fault, as Johnson has admitted earlier in the season that he wanted to get the tight ends more involved in the offense, but it just hasn't happened for Kmet. He's caught just nine passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. Kmet missed his first NFL game in Week 8 due to injury, but he's hoping his return will get him back on track, or he could be suiting up for another team in 2026.

Nick McCloud, CB

With Kyler Gordon injured for most of the season and now on IR, McCloud had a chance to prove that he deserves to stay on the team as a slot corner. His Pro Football Focus overall grade of 48.3, which ranks 106th out of 113 cornerbacks, and his 14 tackles with zero pass deflections, are good indications that he is not a starter in the NFL. There's a reason they are turning to C.J. Gardner-Johnson to transform him from a safety to a nickel cornerback.