Bear Digest

The Problem with Bears Duo Reported as Trade Targets

Analysis: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport named two Bears as targets of trade inquiries but approving a deal for one greatly diminishes needed depth.

Gene Chamberlain

Khalil Herbert is named as a player the Bears are getting trade inquiries about but dealing him lacks logic.
Khalil Herbert is named as a player the Bears are getting trade inquiries about but dealing him lacks logic. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
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Fictionalized trade stories suggesting potential deals are a dime a dozen in these weeks before the trade deadline.

However, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport had real news on the trade front this week and some involved the Bears.

Both running back Khalil Herbert and guard Nate Davis have been the subject of calls involving trade interest, according to Rapoport's sources.

Neither is surprising but the wording in Rapoport's involving Herbert is especially important.

"With plenty of injuries at the (running back) position across the league, Herbert could be the subject of calls. He has flashed in previous seasons," Rapoport wrote.

So according to a Rapoport source, Herbert "could" be the subject of calls. That doesn't mean the Bears are pursuing a trade. They have nothing to gain and only something to lose if they trade Herbert.

Their next back behind Herbert is Travis Homer, who has done little in Chicago except play special teams and get injured. He currently is on injured reserve.

They have no back on the practice squad so if something happened to either starter D'Andre Swift or backup Roschon Johnson, they'd still need another back.

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Last year the Bears thought they were set up well at running back with three backs and they had to sign Darrynton Evans and give him 30 carries and seven receptions as their fourth back because of injuries. They had Homer on the roster and he played in 16 games but didn't get a single carry. And all of this was in an offense that gave 124 carries—the second-most on the team—to a quarterback.

So yes, it's very possible they'll wind up needing a third or fourth back at some point and trading away a third back with no capable sub behind him makes little sense, even if he is a free agent next year.

The idea of Herbert being too valuable as needed backfield depth for the Bears to trade is a thought also expressed by Brad Biggs of the Tribune in his regular spot on AM-670.

While Rapoport said Herbert is valued because there are numerous injuries at the position league-wide, there are other backs in the market place according to his own reports.

He pointed out Miles Sanders is available because the Panthers have Chuba Hubbard and rookie Jonathon Brooks

Davis is definitely no surprise on the list because there seems to be no spot in the lineup for him now with Matt Pryor taking his starting position and Bill Murray moving ahead of him on the depth chart. They also have Ryan Bates eligible to come back at guard and center.

Trading Davis now would give the Bears a net cap savings, which is a benefit, according to Overthecap.com. The only drawback is what they could get for a player who hasn't done much for them and has had injuries this year.

Davis has played 142 snaps this year and hasn't been a bad pass blocker according to Pro Football Focus. He has a 69.2 grade from PFF and that's the highest pass blocking grade of his career. It's just not as good as what Murray and Pryor have posted.

More important to the Bears from a trade standpoint would be players available elsewhere. Picking up a sixth-round or seventh-round pick next year by losing some of their valued depth does them little good for this season, except to give them a pick they could use as a throw-in piece in a draft day trade.  Sixth- and seventh-round picks are worth little.

Rapoport's report was interesting becaue of a few other players on it. He said Cleveland's 32-year-old defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson might be available. Jefferson is a defensive tackle who has been a quality pass rusher in his career.

He has 27 1/2 career sacks and last year had six for the Jets and 5 1/2 in 2022 for Seattle.

The Bears haven't really had great contributions so far from the defensive tackles they did bring on the roster or practice squad. Chris Williams has a sack and Byron Cowart has half a sack.

They really have no need for another defensive tackle if Zacch Pickens is over the groin injury that has plagued him since the start of the season.

Another player Rapoport reported could be available is Green Bay's Preston Smith. That would be addition for the Bears through subtraction by the Packers because Smith has been a pain to them.

Much can change in this marketplace because the deadline does not occur until Nov. 5 at 3 p.m.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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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.