The Chicago Bears haven't been mentioned by anybody as the trade deadline draws near. That is somewhat shocking for fans. After all, GM Ryan Poles is notorious for making moves this time of year. He traded for Chase Claypool in 2022 and Montez Sweat in 2023. Conversely, he dealt Roquan Smith to Baltimore and Khalil Herbert to Cincinnati. Poles has a track record of making moves, never one to sit idle. Yet with four days remaining before the deadline arrives, the Bears remain radio silent.
Some have wondered if this means Poles is working the phones, trying to pull off a stunner of some kind. It's not like he hasn't done it before. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune addressed the situation. From what he's heard, there doesn't appear to be a great sense of urgency in Halas Hall to make any deals.
Intuition says the Bears, 4-3 as they prepare to face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Paycor Stadium, will be observers this time around.
If there’s a move, it will probably would not be one that has your cellphone buzzing with alerts. It might look more like the one Poles made at the deadline a year ago when he sent running back Khalil Herbert to the Bengals for a seventh-round pick that turned into running back Kyle Monangai.
In the first season for coach Ben Johnson, this isn’t the time for the Bears to bundle future assets for what might amount to a role player. It’s unlikely there’s an edge rusher who can solve the team’s pass-rush dilemma, certainly not one available at a price the team is willing to meet.
There are multiple parts to this issue.
Right now, the position group that Chicago would most likely target (edge rushers) is deadlocked because selling teams are asking for too much. The Bears also have salary cap concerns. They don't have much wiggle room. Biggs also pointed out another factor that isn't mentioned. Poles might not be feeling much urgency to do something because his job status isn't under a microscope.
There’s constant pressure to win in the NFL, but Poles received a contract extension over the offseason to pair him up with Ben Johnson in Year 1, and this season is all about determining how the players the Bears have fit into the plan moving forward.
Ryan Poles doesn't have the draft assets to spare anyway.
As of writing this, the Bears have seven picks in 2026. That is your standard number for every draft. In other words, a trade would leave them with fewer, and this team is not in a position where they can afford to lose assets for adding young talent. That is the same trap Ryan Pace fell into during his later years with the organization. Ryan Poles has consistently stated that he intends to build through the draft. Like him or not, he's tried adhering to that statement by retaining as many picks as possible.
Now, there is a possibility the Bears could sell off a player to secure extra draft capital. Rumors have been circulating for weeks surrounding D.J. Moore. He would fetch a decent return and would take his hefty contract off the books, giving the team more financial flexibility. Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum are also options if another team is desperate for quarterback help.
Neither scenario seems plausible. Chicago seems content to let things play out this year, and Poles will reassess things next spring.
