Jordan Howard Trade Rumors Get Violent Shove Into Serious

Everybody heard about the Jordan Howard trade rumors last month. John Mullin and I confirmed they were out there, most notably around the Miami Dolphins when they still had Jarvis Landry to deal in return. That buzz fizzled out after the Dolphins sent him to the Cleveland Browns instead. However, that never meant Howard was suddenly made unavailable. It merely meant the rumors faded into the background. There is now an undercurrent of fear that Howard is still on the block. Not only that but a possible trade could be near. This is the draft season after all and people tend to jump at shadows. Still, it's hard not to feel like something is going on based on this new information. It centers around some recent adjustments Howard made to his Instagram account.

Not too long ago the page was adorned with Bears-related paraphernalia. New inspections reveal that is no longer the case. Though there are pictures of footballs and even a Cubs jersey, there is not a single Bears logo to be found. It's curious to many, and alarming as well.

Jordan Howard trade rumors began with the arrival of Matt Nagy

So the lingering question is why? Why would the Bears be so eager to unload a 23-year old Pro Bowler with two 1,000-yard seasons under his belt already? Namely, the answer rests on the new head coach. Matt Nagy runs an offense that is predicated on throwing the ball. It's why the Bears invested so heavily at wide receiver and tight end this off-season. They want to build this thing around Mitch Trubisky. Not a bad plan. Unfortunately, that creates a problem with Howard. Put simply he is not good catching the ball. In two years he already has 12 dropped passes. This is a problem because running backs were targeted over 100 times in the Kansas City Chiefs passing game last year. It's a vital component to the scheme's success. Having a feature back who can't catch is a weakness.

Again, this is not the time to simply proclaim Howard is gone. This could just be a coincidence. It could also be Howard playing a prank. Nothing is certain. Still, with his lack of pure fit in the offense and a loaded running back class in the draft? It's hard not to see the possibility of a trade growing nearer. The best thing to do is sit back and see what Ryan Pace does.