Bears rumors: Trade deadline possibilities, injury update, Ben Johnson interest

It's Halloween, and as they continue to grapple with the fact that their team let one get away on Sunday, Chicago Bears fans are feeling more tricked than treated at the moment.

The last-second Hail Mary loss to the Commanders was brutal, then it was made even worse when it was revealed that Tyrique Stevenson was not even paying attention when the play started because he was busy interacting with the crowd.

The news hasn't gotten much better for the Bears in the early part of the week, as the team was so beset by injuries that Wednesday's practice was only a walkthrough so as to allow the ailing roster time to heal.

Now the Bears must travel to Arizona for a date with the suddenly-hot Cardinals, who have won two straight games on walkoff field goals to get to 4-4 on the season.

The Bears will need to overcome their road woes if they hope to win in the desert, as they're 0-3 on the road this year and 3-17 under Matt Eberflus.

Before we preview that game, let's round up all the Bears rumors of the week, beginning with Ryan Poles' favorite time of the year: trade deadline time.

Will the Bears make another big splash at the trade deadline?

Ryan Poles has a history of making moves this time of year, for better or worse. He traded for Chase Claypool two years ago, a move that turned out to be a complete disaster, but then he redeemed himself last year by acquiring Montez Sweat, after which point the Bears defense really took off.

The Bears have a much stronger roster than in years past, but there are still holes to fill, most notably on the offensive line and at defensive end. With two second-round picks in the upcoming draft, Poles has two of his favorite pieces of ammunition to acquire some help, but who might he have his eye on?

The defense has been the strength of the team, so it makes more sense for Poles to target the offensive line. Nate Davis has been a bust after signing as a free agent last year, and Poles will likely try to ship him out if he can find any takers.

As for who he could look to bring in, the massively disappointing Jaguars are 2-5, which could leave them open to trading away right guard Brando Scherff. Left tackle Cam Robinson was traded on Wednesday to the Vikings, but we don't yet know if that was the beginning of a fire sale or just an isolated move intended to clear time for the younger Walker Little.

Even after stunning the Ravens on Sunday, the Browns are only 2-6. Like the Jaguars, they could be open to trading their former All-Pro right guard for the right price, and Bears fans have been eyeing Wyatt Teller for weeks.

Teller is three years younger than Scherff and is signed through next year, whereas Scherff will be a free agent after this season. For that reason, it would take more to get him, but if the price is within reason, Poles shouldn't hesitate to make the move. Just like he did with Sweat, he could extend Teller to keep him in Chicago long-term, a move that I'm sure Caleb Williams would thank him for.

The injuries are piling up for the Bears

Upon reflection, the bye week didn't come at a great time for the Bears. Chicago had won three straight while clicking on all cylinders before the off-week, but looked rusty through much of the game against the Commanders.

The bye can be helpful in giving injured players time to heal, but one week later, the Bears are more banged up than they've been all season. Jaquan Brisker, who has been out since suffering a concussion in Week 5 against the Panthers, is still not practicing, nor is Kyler Gordon, who strained his hamstring against the Jaguars in London one week later.

Tyrique Stevenson deservedly got all the attention for bungling the Hail Mary against the Commanders, but his antics may not have mattered if Montez Sweat was able to be on the field to pressure Jayden Daniels. Sweat was sidelined after injuring his shin earlier in the game, and he also didn't practice on Wednesday, which calls his status for the Cardinals game into question.

We spoke above about the need for better players on the offensive line. That would be true even if everyone was healthy, but it's especially true now, because the Bears' linemen are dropping like flies. Teven Jenkins logged a limited practice on Wednesday after having to leave Sunday's game with a knee injury, while Braxton Jones didn't practice at all after suffering a knee injury of his own.

Jones was replaced by fifth-round rookie Kiran Amegadjie, but even he is sidelined with a calf injury. The one glimmer of hope for the line is that Ryan Bates, who was acquired from the Bills this offseason for a fifth-rounder, was designated to return from IR after injuring his shoulder and elbow in Week 1. He got in a limited practice Wednesday and has a good chance of seeing the field this weekend.

Matt Eberflus' seat just got hotter thanks to a division rival

Many would say that the Bears had no business winning the Commanders game, because they trailed for nearly the entirety of it. I don't buy that reasoning. The Bears took their first lead of the day with 25 seconds remaining after Roschon Johnson plunged it in from the 1, and I'm sorry, if you take the lead with under 30 seconds left, you need to leave with a win.

Matt Eberflus has had an alarming tendency to blow late leads during his time with the Bears, and after this latest one, his seat is getting very warm. The Bears stuck by Eberflus this past offseason thanks to the team's strong finish a year ago. Is being 4-3 while letting winnable games slip away enough to keep him around again?

A smart boss wouldn't fire an employee without knowing that he could get someone better to fill the position, but if a recent rumor is true, the Bears may have one of the hottest head coaching candidates of recent years interested in taking Eberflus' place.

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has worked wonders in Detroit. He's drawn up a dynamic running game for Jahmyr Gibbs and former Bear David Montgomery, and he has Jared Goff playing the best football of his life. The Lions went to the NFC Championship Game last year and are currently 6-1 thanks mainly to Johnson's offense.

NFL insider Albert Breer said earlier this week that if the Bears head coaching job became available last offseason, Johnson was interested in being the guy to fill it.

Eberflus has proven himself to be an outstanding defensive coach, but his in-game decision-making, such as giving the Commanders a free play to get to midfield and then not using a timeout to set his defense, has fans justifiably wondering if he has what it takes to be a great head coach.

It seems like the Bears could have landed Johnson last offseason had they moved on from Eberflus and pursued him. Would that still be the case if Eberflus were let go this year? If the Bears keep blowing late leads, we may find out.