Would the
Chicago Bears trade for Richard Sherman? Oh that's definitely a question fans are asking themselves over the past few days. Ever since the Seattle Seahawks made it clear that they'd be listening to offers for the All-Pro cornerback. Something that would've seemed utterly incomprehensible last year. In fact it still feels that way.
Sherman is still one of the best corners in the NFL. He hasn't missed a game in his entire career and is coming off a season where he delivered four interceptions and 13 passes defended. Sure he's dealt with some health concerns but not enough to lessen his overall impact. In truth the Seahawks might be falling into that "got to stay young" pit teams reach from time to time.
Now keep in mind Sherman is not elderly by any stretch. He just turned 29-years old. There is every reason to think he has at least 3-4 good years left in him. One thing that is certain. He's far and away better than anything the Bears have. So what would his price tag be?
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How the Bears trade for Richard Sherman can happen
Of course given his accomplishments one would expect a first round pick to be the line. By that same token no team would like the idea of unloading that high a draft choice for a 29-year old corner. Even one as great as Sherman. Thus the Bears are faced with a conundrum. Is there a way they could entice the Seahawks into a deal without sacrificing that first rounder?
It would center around the biggest advantage the Bears hold. That being their high position with the #3 overall pick. Seattle currently sits at the #26 spot. This trade idea would not involve a swapping of a pick for Sherman. It instead would revolve around the Bears giving up their third pick in exchange for Sherman and #26. In essence the Seahawks gain 23 slots of draft position into the top five.
According to draft trade charts, a jump from #26 to #3 is 1,500 points difference. For those wondering, 1,500 is considered the exact same value as the #7 overall pick. In others words Seattle would gain the equivalent of a top 10 pick by making this deal. It's probably as good as any offer they're likely to get. Meanwhile the Bears get that star cornerback they so desperately need and still have a first round pick to spend.
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The hard sell
The difficult part for the Bears will be convincing Sherman himself it's a worthwhile move. Word is the veteran would prefer to be traded to a contender. Something they can't offer coming out of a 3-13 season. However, they do have Vic Fangio whom Sherman is very familiar with from their time playing against each other between 2011 and 2014. Fangio loves big, long cornerbacks and would know exactly how to use Sherman.
Chicago and indeed much of the NFL knows this team is close to featuring one of the top defenses in the league. A shutdown cornerback is one of the key missing ingredients. It's nice to be wanted in this business. Sherman would be an instant hit with the people of this city and a great influence for the young players on that defense.
