Buyers or Sellers? The Bears’ Potential Plans for the November First Trade Deadline

The NFL trade deadline is quickly approaching. The Bears sit at 2-4 with games against the New England Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys upcoming before the November First deadline. So far, it seems that the Bears will either be quiet or sellers at the trade deadline. There are plenty of holes on this Bears roster, but there is also some talent. With this being Ryan Poles’ first season as General Manager, there isn’t much to base anything on. Will he want to get talent for cheap or gather picks? Based on his draft strategy, the latter seems like the way he would go. However, Justin Fields is getting killed behind his offensive line, and his receivers can’t help him, dropping catchable passes and failing to get open. With that being said, there isn’t any way to know what Poles will do until November 1st. So, I’ll lay out a few different scenarios the Bears could look into when the trade deadline rolls around.

Steelers Receive: 2023 3rd Round Pick

Bears Receive: Chase Claypool, 2023 4th Round Pick

  The Bears need help at the receiver position badly. More specifically, a big-body receiver that can go up and get the ball in contested catches. At 6’4”, Claypool is an ideal addition for the Bears. He had behavior issues earlier in his career but seemed to have settled down so far this season. He is young and a perfect fit for Justin Fields, making him an obvious trade target for a cheaper price. As for the Steelers, they recently signed Diontae Johnson to a three-year deal and drafted George Pickens and Calvin Austin III in this year’s draft. Austin has yet to play this season with a foot injury. However, he has been practicing for the past two weeks. The Steelers already have a “big catch receiver” in Pickens and can avoid paying Claypool next year by trading him.

Giants Receive: 2024 6th Round Pick

Bears Receive: Kenny Golladay

Again, the Bears need serious help at receiver. Golladay has been nonexistent for the Giants, having just two catches for 22 yards this season. However, he is a larger receiver, standing at 6’4”. He was great with the Lions, gathering over 3000 yards in four seasons. He signed a large contract with the Giants for 72 million dollars last offseason. He has been horrible this season and wasn’t much better last season, but he would be inexpensive and brings experience to an inexperienced receiver room. It isn’t an eye-catching trade, but it might help the Bear’s passing game, and the cost is next to nothing.

Bears Receive: 2023 2nd Round Pick

Chargers Receive: Roquan Smith

This is a very controversial trade. On the one hand, Smith leads the league in tackles and has made plays in most games. On the other hand, he has also missed easy tackles and seems to disappear from the game at points. The stats show that he’s been the best linebacker in the league, but watching the games shows something else entirely. Smith will also be looking for a big contract this offseason, and he hasn’t shown enough to prove he deserves the 20 million he is seeking. The Bears get even more draft capital, and the Chargers continue to gather former Bears defenders.

Bears Receive: 2023 4th Round Pick, 2024 7th Round Pick

Bills Receive: David Montgomery

Another controversial move, the Bears trade starting running back David Montgomery. Although, is he the starter? Recent speculation has fans thinking Montgomery may see a reduced workload in favor of Khalil Herbert. Herbert, a 2021 6th-round pick, has 403 rushing yards and 6.4 yards per attempt, the best in the league among running backs. With another report coming out about the asking price for Christian McCaffrey, the Bills could look elsewhere for a starting running back. The Bears move Montgomery before he gets a big payday and the Bills pick up a star running back to take some weight off Josh Allen’s shoulders.

There is no telling what the Bears might do at the trade deadline. Realistically, they will probably stay quiet and keep their players. However, if they continue to lose and fail to put up points, they might look to stack up more draft capital and attack the 2023 off-season. The season already seems lost, so why not get more capital and save some money in the process. It’s best to remember that this team is going nowhere this season, so any trades shouldn’t be looked at too harshly, especially if it involves one of the players mentioned above.