The Bears are in a different stage of development.
Anyone hoping they'll get involved in the trading "frenzy" prior to the Nov. 5 deadline must realize progress has occurred and they should temper their expectations.
When they were in Year 1 and struggling under GM Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus, it was a selloff. When a team is gutting the roster, anything goes.
They sent Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn elsewhere for draft picks and mistakenly traded a draft pick for Chase Claypool.
In Year 2, still with several real needs, they dealt away only a second-round pick to acquire the basis of their pass rush in a move of sheer brilliance, and they came away with Montez Sweat. This was a huge need as they were defending passes well but couldn't rush the passer. That ended with Sweat's arrival.
The team is on the rise with a new quarterback, a few new receivers and a more stable offensive line. The defense is top-7 heading into Week 7.
Obvious pressing needs no longer exist.
The salary cap is a concern, with only $6.2 million available, the 22nd most. With 11 games still to play, there is a possibility they'd need to pick someone up to replace an injured player, and the way to get someone of value in that manner after trade deadline is pay for it among street free agents or the waiver wire scrap heap. So they'd need some of that cash instead of throwing it away by bringing in a player through trade to address a need that isn't really apparent now.
Bringing in players through trade with bigger salaries for this year is difficult, though not impossible, by using future years to shoulder the deal's load. A good number of players traded at the deadline are looking for new deals next year, anyway.
Still, trading for someone with value while possessing $6.2 million in space is walking the tightrope.
The bigger factor influencing trades is simply the team's situation.
Their biggest need is to play more games together and figure it all out on the field now because they have a young quarterback and numerous players added to the mix within the last year. Throwing in more and different players isn't a priority and can even be disruptive, slowing the development of the current group.
The only real need is depth when a team reaches Year 3 of a rebuild and is making noise about challenging for the playoffs. An injury can be a disaster at this stage.
Trading away players usually means acquiring draft picks. The Bears needed draft picks in Year 1 because they had only two on the first two days of the draft when real talent is available. Last year they could use picks, as well, because they still had big roster holes and had gone a few years with fewer picks.
In Year 3, acquiring more draft picks by giving away players they have who provide depth defeats the purpose of winning games now. The depth is there to help win now. Draft picks in the future? They have those in sufficient numbers already. They have a first, two seconds, a third and two fifths next year. Getting more picks isn't a priority. It would be more about using the picks they have to get high-quality players to fill the few holes they might have on the roster.
They have several players who are free agents next year and could leave without the team getting compensation in free agency, Khalil Herbert, Teven Jenkins and Keenan Allen among them. That's the way things go in the NFL when you have a better team. It's why they have compensatory draft picks. Why trade the depth now when you have plenty of draft picks already next spring to restock depth—or even free agency in the Bears' case with $73 million available (the eighth most)?
Trading needed talent for picks is low priority. Making sure depth exists to make a run at the playoffs is high priority.
Here is a look at all the positions ranked where the Bears could use the assistance of a trade before this year's trade deadline.
1. Edge Rusher
They are getting a better rush from players aside from Sweat as teams double-team him. They're tied for seventh in sacks, sixth in sack percentage and they only blitz the 24th highest percentage of plays (21.9%) according to Stathead/Pro Football Reference so they're getting the pressure through four-man rushes. They had four defensive linemen rank in the top 20 this week in ESPN's pass rush win rate at end or tackle -- Sweat, Darrell Taylor, Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter. They have a veteran pass rusher now physically ready to rejoin the team after being injured since Day 1 of camp in Jake Martin.
The only way the Bears need another edge rusher is if someone younger and of unique quality becomes available who figures into their long-term plans and at a low enough cost in draft picks so as not to hurt their chance to keep building depth through next year's draft with picks they already have.
2. Defensive Tackle
They've built up decent depth here, though the talent level after their two starters must be questioned. Zacch Pickens' availability, once fully healed from a nagging groin injury, could solve this issue. If a defensive tackle with skills came available, one who could both plug the run and rush the passer while fitting into their rotation, then it's worth a move for even more depth. This is one position where it's very rare for this to happen because there just aren't enough of these players to go around. There are more edge rushers who come available than tackles.
3. Tight End
They've had injuries or theft hit their attempt to establish a fourth tight end behind 40-year-old third tight end Marcedes Lewis. Brenden Bates was stolen off their practice squad. Stephen Carlson suffered a shoulder injury. Now they have Tommy Sweeney back but have already cut him once. If a tight end became available who instantly would be a fourth, one who could catch, block and play special teams, it would need to be a consideration.
4. Running Back
Instead of looking to trade away Khalil Herbert, the Bears should actually be on the lookout for a running back who might come in and be a fourth to finish this year behind Roschon Johnson, D'Andre Swift and Herbert, because Travis Homer is on injured reserve. They have no practice squad fourth running back. You always need three running backs and in the past few years they've gotten down to a fourth back due to injuries.
5. Linebacker
Noah Sewell hasn't kicked down the door and threatened Jack Sanborn's starting strongside linebacker job and is behind Amen Ogbongbemiga now for backup. A young, promising linebacker who could develop into a starter would have to be something they'd think about in a deal.
6. Cornerback
Like with an edge rusher, you can never have enough. They're finding this out now, but luckily they've been padded up at the position with depth and it let them get through the Jacksonville game. The one hole they might have where they could use help is a cornerback who can be both a slot backup and outside cornerback. They had this when they had Greg Stroman as a third slot cornerback but they let him go to keep Jaylon Jones on the roster. Jones has already paid off due to the injuries to Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith. But Kyler Gordon's injury leaves them with Josh Blackwell playing the slot and in the past Blackwell has had problems staying healthy. Who would play it if Blackwell was injured again and Gordon was hurt?
7. Tackle
Another position where they can always use a quality extra but Larry Borom is eligible to return from IR now and earlier was designated a player to return. They also have draft pick Kiran Amegadjie and Matt Pryor, who can play tackle. Because they have depth, it would need to be a tackle with a very high ceiling if they made a move for this. In the NFL, such a player at this position is so difficult to come by that it almost never happens during the season. It's a draft day matter.
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8. Wide Receiver
They are not in the market for receivers. Their quality would no doubt take a big hit with an injury to one of their Big Three but few teams have more than three high-quality wide receivers. Acquiring one who would sit quietly behind the other three and would probably have to be a return man for special teams is a big ask. They already have DeAndre Carter doing this.
They'd be more likely to participate in a trade of Velus Jones Jr. than they would be trying to acquire a receiver. During the HBO Hard Knocks series, GM Ryan Poles said he'd have to have at least a fourth-rounder for Jones, who hasn't done anything but sit after Week 1 this year and has not contributed much in three seasons. While another fifth-rounder isn't a high priority, if someone needing a return man came and offered a pick this high to Poles, it could be difficult to turn down.
9. Guard
They have enough players laying around at this position to stock another full roster team. It's why Nate Davis could be traded, although what they could get in return for someone highly paid, who has been injured and has lost his starting and backup spots to minimum wage players is uncertain. If a long-term starter of great value became available, it would be worth considering because of the position's uncertainty in the future with Teven Jenkins a free agent after this season. But that's the only way they'd likely pursue something at this position.
10. Safety
The concussion to Jaquan Brisker is a concern but they are five deep at this position. Having both Elijah Hicks and Jonathan Owens keeps this from being high priority. No one has said he won't return this year as a starter. In the future it's a definite draft need after he's had three concussions in three seasons and Kevin Byard is in his 30s.
11. Center
They'll have Ryan Bates back soon. Doug Kramer is still on the roster as a backup and sometimes fullback. Because of the disruption changing starting centers could cause, and especially changing to a player who doesn't know the offense or how the other offensive linemen play, there is no way they'd replace Coleman Shelton in midseason with a starting center. It's the kind of move made in offseasons. Drafting or signing one next year is a need but switching this spot at midstream is fool hardy.
12. Returner
They've got sufficient numbers now for kick return. Their punt return is in good hands with DeAndre Carter.
13. Quarterback
They have a backup. They would have had a good third-string QB if theyused good sense and kept Brett Rypien instead of letting him go to the Vikings, who used good sense and added a third QB to their 53-man roster. Now their third QB is an untested, undrafted rookie. At least he's familiar now with the offense. Bringing in someone wouldn't do much for them now unless there was an injury before the trade deadline, and unless it was a QB who already knew this offense.
14. Long Snapper
This should be No. 1 at the rate they're losing long snappers. But no one keeps more than a couple of these players around, one of them on the practice squad. Maybe the best thing to do is let Cole Kmet practice doing it twice a week so he's more ready in case something happens again rather than trade for one.
