3 Bears who won't make it to the end of the season

Chicago Bears fans pay close attention to every little thing. What's Caleb Williams saying in the huddle? Why does DJ Moore look so sullen on the bench? Why is Matt Eberflus challenging this play?

Even after only five weeks, Bears fans already have an intimate knowledge of this team. That comes from being invested because this is such a fun group, but for all the details we notice and questions we answer, I've never seen anybody get to the bottom of what should be a simple query: does Ryan Poles ever sleep?

You may think that I'm joking, but I'm not. Ryan Poles might be the busiest man in Chicago. Just look at the work that he's done in overhauling a roster that just two years ago had the worst record in the league. Everyone knows about his blockbuster trade with the Panthers that landed the Bears Caleb Williams and DJ Moore, among others, but Poles has been tireless in working the phones since taking over for Ryan Pace as the team's general manager. Not all of his moves have worked out (yes Chase Claypool, I'm looking at you), but when you hit a grand slam, we can forgive a strikeout or two.

Poles has done a masterful job in transforming the Bears into a contender, but he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who will suddenly relax just because his team is competitive. The Bears are much improved, but they still have a long way to go. The work is never done.

With a GM like that, very few players on the roster should ever feel truly safe. Poles has to balance the desire to win now with the need to set the franchise up for future success, which means that any move is on the table. Could he trade a future draft pick for a player who could make a difference this year? Absolutely, but he's just as likely to send a player packing if he sees value in it down the road.

Knowing that, we took a look at the Bears roster to see which players might be playing for other teams by the end of the year, and why they no longer fit in Chicago.

Chicago Bear No. 1 that could be on the move: Khalil Herbert

First of all, let me say that I'm a Khalil Herbert defender. He's a no-nonsense back who has gotten the job done as long as he's been in a Bears uniform, and even though D'Andre Swift has broken through in the last couple of games, I still believe the Bears would have been better off riding with Herbert and spending that money somewhere else, like the offensive line.

As much as I like Herbert, it's clear that he's become the odd man out in the Bears backfield. Swift has found his footing, and Roschon Johnson has locked down his role as a change-of-pace back who also gets goal-line carries.

Herbert was first among all running backs in yards per carry in 2022, and ninth in 2023. He's still only 26, with a lot of tread left on his tires. It should be no trouble for Poles to find a suitor for his services.

With the number of injuries to ball carriers that we see on a weekly basis, teams are always in need of running back help. Herbert has become expendable on the Bears, but he could still return a late-round draft pick from a contending team like the Cowboys, Chiefs or Texans if another injury hits. Don't be surprised if Ryan Poles flips him before the deadline.

Chicago Bear No. 2 that could be on the move: Velus Jones Jr.

Every team has that one player that the fanbase spends an inordinate amount of discussing compared to what they actually do on the field. Velus Jones Jr. is that player for the Bears. The kick returner/wide receiver/running back has been a lightning rod since he first put on a Bears uniform, though his play on the field hasn't been worthy of the attention.

Jones has had multiple opportunities to make his mark with the Bears, but every time he gets a chance, he quite literally lets it slip through his fingers. They say speed kills, and Jones no doubt has that, but being unable to hold on to the football neutralizes any advantages that being so fast would grant him.

Jones earned yet another chance from the Bears with a strong preseason, though he was also helped by the torn ACL of Ian Wheeler, whom he ended up beating out for a roster spot by default. It only took one week for Jones to fumble that chance away, though, as his critical muffed kickoff against the Titans in the Bears opener led to a quick field goal and an early 10-point hole.

The Bears ultimately clawed back to win, but that doesn't absolve Jones of his football sins, and as such, he's been a healthy scratch in every game since. It's clear that the Bears can no longer trust him, but maybe another team could talk themselves into giving him a fresh start in a change of scenery.

We found out on Hard Knocks that Poles had an offer from another team for Jones, but he opted to turn the deal down. If that offer is still on the table, this time he'll take it.

Chicago Bear No. 3 that could be on the move: Nate Davis

We mentioned Chase Claypool as the poster child of "Ryan Poles moves that didn't work." Claypool's acquisition for what ended up being the 32nd pick of the draft (which the Steelers used on Joey Porter Jr.) was an unmitigated disaster, and it deserves its status as the worst move in Poles' otherwise excellent tenure.

If there's a second move that Poles would take back if he could, it's signing Nate Davis in free agency. Davis has repeatedly failed to live up to the promise he showed as a member of the Titans, and his time with the Bears has been filled with subpar play, injuries and accusations of having a poor work ethic.

The Bears offensive line has been the weakness of the team this season, though the past two weeks have been a different story. Unfortunately for Davis, much of the credit for that goes to Matt Pryor and Bill Murray, who have emerged as real contributors in place of Davis and Teven Jenkins, who has battled nagging injuries. Braxton Jones, Coleman Shelton and Darnell Wright have also improved substantially.

It's beginning to look like Davis doesn't have a role with the team anymore since Pryor usurped him as the starting right guard. Davis played only four snaps in the win over the Panthers this past week, which not coincidentally was the Bears' best offensive performance of the season. Murray has established himself as the next man up if Jenkins goes down again, and with Ryan Bates set to return from the injured list soon, that will only push Davis further down the pecking order.

Davis would only cost the Bears $2 million in dead cap space if they were to cut him or trade him this offseason, but Poles could be able to get something like a sixth-round pick from a team that needs a big body up front before that. Either way, it seems that Davis' time in a Bears uniform is running out.