Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles was a busy man last offseason. He drafted Caleb Williams, traded for Keenan Allen and signed D'Andre Swift, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Poles hasn't been afraid of making moves during his time in Chicago, and he's already gotten this offseason started with a bang by landing Ben Johnson to be the Bears' next head coach.
Poles conducted over a dozen interviews before convincing Johnson to make the NFC North jump from the Detroit Lions, but his offseason work is just beginning. With free agency looming in less than a month and draft preparations already well underway, let's just say that he probably won't be getting much sleep before Week 1.
Poles has been one of the league's most active general managers in the trade market. Some of his moves have been positive for the Bears (even though Bryce Young seemed to turn a corner at the end of last season, Carolina Panthers fans are still salty about that 2023 deal). Others, not so much, such as the infamous "second-round pick for Chase Claypool" trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022.
The Bears have numerous needs and multiple potential ways to solve them, and history shows us that the trade market will likely be one of them. Here are three moves Poles could make to help revamp the roster ahead of Ben Johnson's first game.
3. Bears trade D'Andre Swift to the Raiders for a sixth-round pick
The more I think about it, the more I'm coming around to the idea of the Bears taking Boise St. running back Ashton Jeanty with the 10th overall pick, provided they're able to fill other needs in free agency and the draft.
The NFL experienced a bit of a course correction this past season, where after years of treating running backs like second-class citizens, some of the best teams in the league reached new heights thanks to committing big resources to the position, namely the Super Bowl champion Eagles with Saquon Barkley, and the Baltimore Ravens' top-rated offense with Derrick Henry.
Reports of the demise of the running back position were very premature, and Jeanty is the kind of back that could make a Barkley-like difference. The man was a human highlight reel, and if not for Travis Hunter's two-way brilliance, Jeanty would have won the Heisman Trophy.
Current Bears starter D'Andre Swift was once Ben Johnson's lead runner in Detroit, and he was traded away to make room for Jahmyr Gibbs, whom Detroit took with the 12th overall pick. Gibbs has been electric since entering the league in 2023. Jeanty could have a similar impact, especially with a play-caller like Johnson.
The Bears wouldn't be able to get much after Swift's up-and-down season, but the Raiders, who had the league's worst rushing attack last year by a sizable margin, would happily give up a sixth-rounder to cheaply improve one of their many areas of need. This trade isn't about the return the Bears would get, but about what it would signal for their plans with the 10th pick.
2. Bears trade Jaquan Brisker to the Jets for a sixth-round pick
The Bears dealt with numerous injuries to their beleaguered offensive line last season, which resulted in consistently inconsistent protection for Caleb Williams all year. The team is expected to let free agent guard Teven Jenkins walk largely over those injury concerns, and they could opt to move a key member of their defense for the same reason.
Jaquan Brisker is a quality strong safety when healthy. He was one of the best players on the Chicago defense early in the season, but he missed the final 12 games due to the aftereffects of the concussion he suffered against the Panthers in Week 5.
This was Brisker's third concussion in as many years in the league. The fact that it kept him out all season is worrisome, and though the Bears undoubtedly hope Brisker is OK, they may not want to have to rely on his health going forward.
Jonathan Owens was more than capable in filling in for Brisker, especially against the run, where Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 4 in the league among safeties. He's under contract for one more season on a bargain $1.36 million deal, which is the same time that Brisker will be due for an extension. If the Bears can get something in return from a safety-needy team like the Jets, that would be a win, and they could always draft a long-term solution if they don't believe that Owens is a viable permanent answer.
1. Bears trade a second- and a fifth-round pick to the Bengals for Trey Hendrickson
Poles can't seem to help himself when it comes to trading for potential impact players. We mentioned the big swing and miss on Claypool, but there are also the trades of Montez Sweat and and Keenan Allen that bear mentioning.
Other than the offensive line, the biggest area of need on this team is to find a big-time pass-rusher to pair with Sweat. A fewl All-Pro edge rushers are reportedly on the trade market, so don't be surprised if Poles makes a play for one.
The Bears have been linked to everyone from Myles Garrett to Micah Parsons to Trey Hendrickson, but its the Bengals defensive end that makes the most realistic trade candidate, if only because the price on the other two is expected to be exorbitant. Garrett has requested a trade from the Browns, so it's likely he'll be moved. NFL insiders expect that Cleveland wants at least two first-round picks for him though, a price that the Bears, who aren't realistically in Super Bowl contention yet, probably can't afford to pay.
Parsons is four years younger than Garrett, and there's no real indication that the Cowboys are interested in trading him, all of which would make his price even steeper. He'd be a phenomenal addition to any defense, but the Bears can't completely drain their assets when there's so much other work to do on the roster.
That leaves Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks last year and made First Team All-Pro for the first time. The 30-year-old has one year left on his deal and is interested in an extension, but the Bengals, who will be strapped for cash if they re-sign Tee Higgins, may not be able to give him one.
Rather than see him walk next year for nothing, Cincinnati could choose to go with a youth movement on defense to offset just how expensive Joe Burrow and his receivers will be. The Bears have plenty of cap space to re-sign Hendrickson, just as they did with Sweat, which makes them an ideal fit.
There are many teams that would be interested in Hendrickson, but his age and the need to give him an immediate big-money extension could limit the pool of buyers. The Bears have two second-round picks this year as the last parting gift from that Panthers trade, so trading one with a fifth-rounder to sweeten the pot would still leave them in fine position on draft day while addressing one of their most crucial needs.