Bear Digest

More Trade Rumors Could Affect Bears

Report about Washington trading a defensive lineman naturally brings into discussion the Bears and their need on the defensive line.

Gene Chamberlain

In this story:

Bears GM Ryan Poles makes a critical draft pick somewhere around 8 p.m. Chicago time, unless he trades back again.

It could happen.

Already on Thursday morning there were trade rumors circulating the league regarding Washington Commanders defensive linemen Chase Young and Montez Sweat following a report by Dan Graziano of ESPN that one of two could be dealt. The player most likely to be gone would be Young, as a report by Commanders reporter Nicki Jhabvala said Young's fifth-year option will not be picked up and he wants to be dealt.

In three seasons, Young has nine sacks, 17 quarterback hits, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He had 7 1/2 sacks, four forced fumbles and three recoveries, with 10 tackles for loss, when he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2020.

Since then, it's been just 1 1/2 sacks and three tackles for loss in 11 games. Young suffered a season-ending right ACL tear and ruptured patellar tendon in November of 2021. He spent much of last season still trying to recover from it.

Washington signed defensive lineman Daron Payne for four years and $90 million earlier this offseason and signing everyone on that impressive defensive front is not going to be possible.

Of course, the Bears are immediately among the teams fans assume could be in on the deal because they need defensive line help and also because they have the ninth pick in Round 1. The Commanders have a great need for a quarterback as they're talking about starting Sam Howell or Jacoby Brissett when this season begins.

A quarterback could be falling at No. 9.

One thing Bears GM Ryan Poles said during the predraft period is when making trades, he likes getting back a player in return with picks.

Connecting the dots isn't as simple as this.

The Commanders don't pick until No. 16 in Round 1.

Would the Bears want to move back this far?

There are other teams that have been rumored to have interest in moving up to get either a quarterback or defensive tackle Jalen Carter or an offensive tackle. The Bears could use Carter or an offensive tackle themselves.

The teams in those reports over the past two weeks were Pittsburgh at No. 17 and Houston at No. 12.

This is all conjecture until that phone rings for Poles.

For now, it is known that it's up to Poles to make that key first-round pick and get a player who succeeds. Success translates to fulfilling the contract well enought that the Bears sign a player to a second contract.

They haven't done this with Round 1 players much. In fact, the only first-round picks to get second contracts from the Bears since they last appeared in the Super Bowl were guard Kyle Long and cornerback Kyle Fuller. Long had injury issues and his career lasted only seven years while Fuller played six seasons for the Bears and went to the Denver Broncos after being cut for salary cap purposes in 2021.

The Bears have been more successful on Day 2 and 3 in the draft, coming up with Pro Bowl guard Cody Whitehair in the second round, former All-Pro Eddie Jackson in Round 4 and starting wide receiver Darnell Mooney in Round 5.

None of those were Poles picks. His crowning achievement in Year 1 was finding a starting left tackle in Round 5, Braxton Jones. Poles had no first-round pick and now it's his first crack at it.

The Bears will be on the clock with the ninth pick, should they not trade it.

Considering how they've failed so often in Round 1 in the last decade, it's easy to call this the most critical decision Poles has made with the team besides the move back from No. 1 this year to No. 9.

Here are 10 names to watch in the first two days of this draft from a Bears standpoint.

1. DT Jalen Carter

Either because they want to take Carter to disrupt as a three technique or because other teams want to move up and draft him, if he falls the Bears will be one focal point and possible landing spot.

2. T Paris Johnson Jr.

One of the two best tackles in this draft, his athleticism fits a real need as a potential wide zone blocker, he played with Justin Fields at Ohio State and the Bears have visited with him.

3. T Peter Skoronski

Northwestern's left tackle is widely acknowledged as the best overall blocker in the draft. The only question is where he plays in the NFL because of his shorter arms (32-1/4 inches). Most NFL tackles have had 34-inch arms or longer, though not all.

4. T Darnell Wright

A possible late rising candidate largely because he is very athletic and plays at right tackle, where the Bears have their real need. However, at 6-5 1/8, he is 333 pounds. Sure, he ran a 5.01-second 40 but a 1.81-second 10-yard split isn't the fastest and he has just 9-inch hands and 33 3/4-inch arms. So he's right on the borderline in many key combine measurements.

5. Lukas Van Ness

It's widely expected Tyree Wilson and Will Anderson Jr. will be the top two edge rushers taken and both could go in the first eight picks. If neither fell to the Bears, would they go for Van Ness? The Iowa edge has traits they covet in an edge player in that he is strong against the run and possesses a wicked bull rush. However, he has not really had a starting position as he's been moved all around the line of scrimmage. On the other hand, coach Matt Eberflus seems to like that position versatility to mix things up Van Ness can also line up at three technique in pass rush situations.

6. Calijah Kancey

If they traded down with Washington or Pittsburgh, it wouldn't be difficult to imagine his name would come up as a possibility in the middle of Round 1. Billed as another Aaron Donald, he comes from the Rams' defensive terror's school and played the position at about the same size, 280 pounds. His lightning quickness would suit the Bears at three technique.

7. Nolan Smith

They had the Georgia edge rusher to Halas Hall for a lengthy visit. Some view him as another Micah Parsons type of linebacker who would be on the edge rushing the QB or could also be disruptive by lining up all over the formation. This would mean alterations to coach Matt Eberflus' schemes but if Smith, who ran a 4.39-second 40, can apply heat then the Bears will take it any way they can get it. After all, they had only 20 sacks last year and were led in this statistic by a safety, rookie Jaquan Brisker, with four sacks. A top athlete type, Smith had combine results in the top 5% at his position in the 40-yard dash, 10-yard split, vertical leap and broad jump. But at 6-2 1/8 238 pounds, he's not going to be a player in this scheme who puts his hand in the dirt and lines up every down to rush off the edge. The scheme usually works best with ends 255 to 285 pounds.

8. Matthew Bergeron

If the Bears go defense or even for running back Bijan Robinson, they would need a tackle badly in Round 2 and Matthew Bergeron might be the best available to them then. At 6-4 7/8, 318, he has 33 3/4-inch arms and 9 1/2-inch hands. He's also not known as a run blocker, so they'd need to lean heavily on coach Chris Morgan to get him ready to play.

9. Adetomiwa Adebawore

Like Kancey, he has incredible quickness, but unlike Kancey his experience at three technique is limited. Still, if he fell into the middle-to-back part of Round 2, the Bears could have interest.

10. Keion White

A Georgia Tech defensive end with the size and speed that fits well in this scheme. He could be a Round 2 answer to their defensive end issues if they go for a Round 1 tackle or defensive tackle.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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