Trade Rumors: Several defenders linked to Bears as trade deadline nears |
As expected, the Chicago Bears are not only getting ready to get back on the field this week in preparation for their matchup with the Washington Commanders, but they are also starting to pay attention to the open market when it comes to trade-caliber players. As mentioned earlier this week, the Bears have a few players in their own right who are gaining some trade interest, with Khalil Herbert, Nate Davis, and potentially Keenan Allen as some of the names.
Allen and Herbert make the most sense for teams needing help at either the WR or RB position, while Davis and his contract may make him a massive paperweight for the Bears this season. Just like the Bears have some of their players being monitored, Chicago itself is starting to keep tabs on the market, and it does appear that they are setting their sights on some defensive line help. That may infuriate many fans when you look at how bad the offensive line has been this season, but you can never have enough defensive help, especially up front. With Montez Sweat not having the season many expected him to have, the Bears pass rush has yet to get off to a great start, even though it is still better than last year. That is why they are being linked to several names on the open market, with Azeez Ojulari and Quinton Jefferson being the most recent names. If you remember back to the offseason, Ojulari was a name linked to the Bears on several occasions, as he was listed as a trade target for them this offseason. At just 24 years old, Ojulari is starting to come into his own as a player, and considering he is still on his rookie deal, he would fit in nicely for the Bears' long—and short-term plans. After racking up eight sacks as a rookie in 2022, Ojulari has responded with 11 more sacks in his 17 games since and continues to be a menace on the Giants' defense. He is one of two players that many offensive coordinators focus on, and should you add him to this defense, he would become another young gun to build the defense around.
While adding him makes a ton of sense, Ryan Poles may look to take a more veteran approach at the deadline, as a deal like that would cost less. If that is the case, the 31-year-old Jefferson makes a ton of sense as the Cleveland Browns are about to enter a full-blown sell-off mode. A starter most of his career, Jefferson has found it challenging to see the field consistently this season and has logged just one sack in five games.
Compare that to nearly 30 career sacks across 108 games, and you can see the production has been there in the past when he has the supporting cast around him. Although this would be more of a depth move as opposed to Ojulari being a starter, Jefferson would round out the Bears' defensive front seven in a big way and instantly make them one of the deepest units in football.
While those two seem to be two of the more prominent names in terms of the Bears tracking the interest level, more names are starting to come about as the Bears are almost certainly going to do business at some point.
Another Browns DT, 33-year-old Shelby Harris, is expected to be put on the market. With a cap value of under three million in each of the next two seasons, this would be one of those bargain pickups that could work for both teams.
Jeremiah Ledbetter is another name that is starting to make sense, especially after the Jaguars already traded off Roy Robertston-Harris to the Seattle Seahawks. Ledbetter may not be a household name to the casual fan, but being ranked the 14th-best interior lineman against the run isn't something to ignore.
You put that in the middle of the Bears defense, and you're creating problems for many teams, which is hard to fathom when you look at the problems their defense gives teams now. Over the next 16 days, you will hear rumors left and right about the Bears in terms of the players they are interested in and vice versa. Now, it is up to Poles to put some of those rumors to rest and get the one he wants.
