A discussion pertaining to the Chicago Bears’ defensive line and their need for improvement is about as predictable and common as seeing a proper Chicago-style dog featuring an all-beef frank on a poppy-seed bun. For the most part, defensive end has been largely untouched, aside from their recent signing of Marcus Davenport. That might very well be changing in the near future.
Per Dan Graziano of ESPN the Chicago Bears are reportedly (still) involved with the trade market for a new defensive end. By the phrasing of his article, it sounds like an actual starter adjacent from Montez Sweat. Someone who could command a sizeable return in any deal.
Don’t be surprised if … the Bears still trade for an edge rusher.
What I’m hearing: Chicago is thin on defense, especially on the back end. But it’s up front where the team is still looking for a strong edge presence opposite Montez Sweat. The Bears added veteran Marcus Davenport a couple of weeks ago, but that move doesn’t appear to be working out; they let Davenport go in their initial cut down to 53 players over the weekend before bringing him back on the practice squad. Bears GM Ryan Poles has been an active and aggressive trader in his time with the team, and he’ll turn over every rock he can looking for an impact player up front. The Bears’ health issues on defense might be more concentrated on the back end, but improving the pass rush would help the secondary, too.
This, of course, is not the first time the Bears have been tied into trade rumors for bolstering their group of down linemen on defense. Earlier in the spring came confirmation by general manager Ryan Poles himself on their interest in Maxx Crosby. There was also a documented interest in Vita Vea shortly before his contract extension was finalized. And there has been a precedent set in Chicago for late major trades involving DL dating back to 2004.
- August 21st 2004: Jerry Angelo trades for Adewale Ogunleye
- August 31st 2018: Ryan Pace trades for Khalil Mack
- October 31st 2023: Ryan Poles trades for Montez Sweat
Even at the trade deadline last year — and to a much lesser extent — the Bears acquired Joe Tyron-Shoyinka from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This, along with Ryan Poles’ overall history of swinging big trades, has everyone curious as to what his next move will be. For a team pursuing their first Super Bowl Championship in decades, you’d have to imagine everything (reasonable) is on the table.
Coming off the heels of their latest trade shipping Gervon Dexter Sr to the Atlanta Falcons, the Bears seem poised to make their next appearance at bat for the market. Who they’re targeting — Maxx Crosby, Josh Sweat, etc. — is unknown. And whether this is a Pete Crow-Armstrong, AKA MVPete-sized swing, remains to be seen as well.