The Chicago Bears are 4-2 after a win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 7.
The win puts the Bears on a four-game winning streak on the season, tied with the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos for current longest in the NFL this season.
With a favorable stretch of the schedule upcoming (Bengals, Giants, and an uncertain Ravens team) the question is how should the Bears approach the upcoming trade deadline?
Bears HC Ben Johnson has remained adamant in his approach this season by stating the Bears have everything they need to be successful. However, GM Ryan Poles has shown in each trade deadline that he isn’t afraid to make a move that he believes will benefit the team.
Here are some players at a certain position of which I believe the Bears should at least consider moving some capital.
Bears Need To Trade For Help At CB
The biggest conversations surrounding potential trades for Chicago have involved the RB position and the pass rush. To me, one of the largely under discussed issues has been the CB group.
CB Tyrique Stevenson has had an excellent past few weeks in coverage and defending the run, so I’m not concerned with his level of play at the moment, but he did exit the game against New Orleans with an injury.
Across the field, Nahshon Wright has been sub-optimal in pass coverage and it’s only amplified because CB Jaylon Johnson virtually shrinks half of the field when healthy and Wright can only fill so much of a very large shoe. He is getting turnovers, but the Bears can get better at the position.
It’s been rumored that the earliest the star cornerback could return for Chicago is Week 10, but the last thing the Bears should do is rush him back. This is exactly why the Bears should consider the following players to play in his absence.
CB Trade Target: Miami CB Rasul Douglas
The Bears are very familiar with Rasul Douglas’ skillset and the move likely wouldn’t cost much in terms of draft capital or price as his contract with Miami is just a one-year, 3 million dollar deal. The journeyman CB would provide an instant boost to a secondary that’s been playing surprisingly well in Johnson’s absence. The veteran has posted an 82.2 PFF player grade on the year compared to Nahshon Wright’s 42.1.
The Dolphins are likely to ship off veteran talent after yet another loss and at the very least the Bears should look into it.
CB Trade Target: Seattle CB Tariq Woolen
Seattle is having an excellent start to the year, but one aspect of their season has been centered on what to do with CB Tariq Woolen.
The former Roadrunner has allowed 66.7 percent of his targets to be completed on the year compared to Wright’s 77.3 percent. On the other hand, Wright has allowed a lower passer rating when targeted at 96.6 compared to that of Woolen at 111.6.
Tariq Woolen is on the final year of his rookie deal, so the Bears could likely give up minimal draft capital and maybe even a pick swap for the player if Seattle is willing to deal. If he performs well, he could land a second contract with a new team in the offseason.
This is also the least likely of the three trade targets to be moved, but it’s worth a look.
It would provide the Bears with a low-risk, high reward player to fill the void left by Jaylon Johnson in a unit that is otherwise playing exceptionally well. GM Ryan Poles has also shown he prioritizes athleticism and Tariq Woolen posted an RAS score of 10.0, so it would be no surprise if Poles showed interest.
CB Trade Target: New Orleans CB Alontae Taylor
Unlike Seattle, New Orleans is and has been a sinking ship for the past few years. At 1-6 on the season and with several veteran pieces, the team is likely to be a seller at the deadline.
CB Alontae Taylor has experience playing in the slot and on the outside, so his versatility would bode well with Dennis Allen, his former head coach in New Orleans. Like Woolen, Taylor is in the final year of his rookie contract, so it provides him with an excellent opportunity to showcase his talents prior to free agency next offseason.
The Saints CB has allowed 67.6 percent of his targets to be completed this season and a 98.0 passer rating on the year.
Final Bears/Trade Thoughts
With the trade deadline quickly approaching on November 4th and the Bears visiting a desperate Baltimore Ravens team, it will be very interesting to see what Chicago decides to do.
The defense has played excellent in the last few weeks, but is it sustainable? The Bears were 4-2 at this point last year and things quickly fell apart. Obviously, the infrastructure and coaching staff is a world apart from what it was last season, but the NFL changes at a blistering speed.
A win against Lamar Jackson and a Baltimore Ravens team widely considered year in and year out to be Super Bowl contenders would vault Caleb Williams and this Bears squad into the national spotlight as a playoff hopeful.
It’s an important stretch of the season for the Chicago Bears and we can only sit back and hope things have officially changed for the better.
