Let’s get this out of the way: if you thought Ryan Poles was going to light up the 2025 trade deadline like it was Black Friday at Halas Hall, you clearly haven’t been paying attention. This deadline wasn’t about making splashy moves or trying to snatch a Wild Card berth with duct tape and wishful thinking. It was about looking yourself in the mirror, realizing your cap is cooked, your roster's still a few studs short, and playing the long damn game.
Welcome to grown-man football decisions.
The One Move That Mattered: Tryon-Shoyinka, a.k.a. Emergency Depth
The Bears’ only deadline acquisition? Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. Yep, that guy. Former first-rounder, pass-rushing underachiever, now on his third team. Chicago snagged him from Cleveland for pocket change — basically a scratch-off ticket hoping to hit $20. Don’t get it twisted: this wasn’t some sneaky genius move. This was damage control after the edge room got absolutely wrecked by injuries.
Dayo Odeyingbo blew his Achilles, Shemar Turner’s ACL snapped, Dominique Robinson is hobbling around with an ankle, and suddenly your "rotation" is Montez Sweat and Austin Booker. Well enter Tryon-Shoyinka, who played 6% of Cleveland’s snaps this year and has been more bark than bite his whole career. He’s not a savior — he’s a Band-Aid.
Austin Booker Changed Everything
Now here’s where things get interesting. Second-year edge Austin Booker popped off against the Bengals — 90.0 PFF grade, strip-sack, chaos all day. That performance flipped the trade calculus. Why overpay for Jaelan Phillips or Trey Hendrickson when you've maybe already got your guy in-house?
Booker showing out meant Poles could hold onto precious draft picks instead of burning them for rentals. That kind of restraint takes balls, especially with a fanbase foaming at the mouth for relevance.
Cap Situation: Bro, We’re Broke
Let’s talk money — or lack thereof. The Bears have $7.49 million in 2025 cap space, which in NFL terms is like finding $2.75 in your couch cushions. It gets worse: 2026 is projected to be negative $2.86 million. That’s right, negative. They’ve already maxed out with extensions for Joe Thuney and a heavy investment in the offensive line.
Remember when we thought having $120M last offseason meant a spending spree every year? Yeah, reality hit. Now Poles has to hope for rollover funds or start restructuring like an accountant on meth.
Draft Picks = Gold Bars
Chicago came into the deadline with the standard seven draft picks for 2026. That’s it. No surplus to play with, and trading below that threshold would be idiotic. You’re building around Caleb Williams, not trying to rent a pass rusher for a maybe-playoff run.
Philadelphia and Jacksonville pushed in chips. The Bears held theirs. Why? Because Ryan Poles actually understands what he’s building.
The Moves They Didn’t Make
EDGE: Too Damn Expensive
- Jaelan Phillips went to Philly for a third. Bears sniffed around.
- Bengals wanted a first for Trey Hendrickson. Get real.
- Jets asked for a second for Jermaine Johnson. "WTF"
- Dre’Mont Jones and Bradley Chubb? Meh. Injury baggage, big cap hits.
CORNER: CJGJ Is Your Answer (For Now)
Jaylon Johnson’s out with core muscle surgery. Kyler Gordon’s hurt too. Tyrique Stevenson’s shoulder might fall off. It’s a MASH unit in the secondary.
Instead of dealing assets, Poles grabbed C.J. Gardner-Johnson off the street. Yeah, he’s a loudmouth with a trail of broken relationships, but he’s also a two-time champ and knows Dennis Allen’s system. You don’t give up picks for Band-Aids when you’ve got dudes coming back in a few weeks — especially when one of those dudes just balled out on Sunday and showed exactly why he belongs. That kind of instant impact reminds you why patience beats panic trades every damn time.
Offense: The Reason Nobody’s Panicking
Ben Johnson has turned this offense into something real. Caleb Williams is developing on schedule. 1,916 yards, 12 TDs, 4 INTs, a 93.5 rating — and oh yeah, he caught a touchdown too. Ben Johnson is a mastermind.
DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, rookie Colston Loveland, and Kyle Monangai make this one of the most balanced, dangerous units in the league. They’re 10th in scoring, 9th in total offense, and Top 5 in rushing yards per attempt.
Johnson’s running a system that actually helps his QB — pre-snap motion, creative spacing, two-TE looks. The O-line hasn't really had issues, and the scheme is giving them enough breathing room to function.
Defense: Yikes
Dennis Allen’s unit is leaking points like a sieve:
- 28th in scoring D
- 25th in passing yards allowed
- 26th in pressure rate
Montez Sweat? Fine, not elite. 4 sacks, decent pressure rate, but he’s not taking over games. Secondary? Injury apocalypse. Pass rush? Nonexistent without blitzing. This is the side of the ball that needs an offseason overhaul.
So What Now?
The Bears are 5-3, staring down a hellish back-half schedule: Eagles, Packers twice, 49ers, and Lions again. NFL.com gives them a 27% shot at the playoffs. It’s a coin flip at best.
That’s why Poles didn’t go shopping. Because this season ain’t about 2025 — it’s about positioning for 2026.
The Real Window: 2026-2028
Caleb Williams will be in Year 3. Cap space gets freed up. You hit on the draft, maybe grab a mid-tier FA corner, restructure some deals, and suddenly you’ve got:
- A top-5 offense
- A rebuilt, competent defense
- A quarterback on a rookie deal
That’s when you push the chips in. That’s your window.
Final Verdict
Poles didn’t flinch. He didn’t reach. He didn’t buy into the illusion that this year is the year. Because it’s not. It’s a foundation year. Does that mean that this team can make a nice run like the Commanders did last year? Of course not. But lets keep it a 100, the real fireworks come next spring.
This trade deadline wasn’t about now. It was about not screwing up what’s next. And for the first time in forever, the Bears might finally be doing this the smart way.
