The Chicago Bears aren’t ready to quit 2019 yet. Nor should they be at 3-3. There is still time for them to right the ship after a miserable two-game stretch against Oakland and New Orleans. That said, a loss to the Chargers at home on Sunday might be the final straw. Their odds of making the playoffs even at 3-4 would be negligible because the Packers and Vikings are way ahead of them in the divisional stands. So they’d be forced to make a decision.
Do they use the upcoming trade deadline to begin preparations for 2020?
Right now the Bears have seven picks in that draft. However, they have no 1st, 3rd, or 4th rounders. So they should really consider possible ways they can not only add more selections but also free up precious cap space that might allow them to be more aggressive in free agency. The question is what sort of moves are possible without actually blowing up the core of their roster which is still quite talented?
Here are a few options at their disposal.
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Ways the Chicago Bears can secure 2020 draft capital
Cut Mike Davis
This move was already discussed last week and is by far the easiest choice. Davis has done nothing of value on offense since the season began. Matt Nagy insists the veteran running back has done nothing to warrant his extended time on the bench. It’s really hard to trust the head coach at his word at this point. The reality is Davis contributes nothing and is merely eating up salary cap.
By cutting him, the Bears would remove one of the compensatory free agents they signed back in March. Doing this before the deadline on week 10 would enable the team to likely recoup a 4th round compensatory pick for losing Adrian Amos to the Green Bay Packers.
Leonard Floyd
Is there anybody out there who would be upset by this idea? Floyd was billed as the next great pass rusher for the Bears back in 2016. He had a promising rookie season before injuries struck. As time went on, it became more and more evident that the Georgia product just lacks a true gift for hunting the QB. The fact he’s played across from Khalil Mack for six games and has two sacks to show for it is inexcusable.
It’s clearer than ever that he will never become what the Bears need, so why prolong this any further? Floyd is still a good run defender and coverage linebacker. Odds are a team would be willing to give something up for that.
Taylor Gabriel
By all accounts, the wide receiver market is hot right now. Mohamed Sanu was traded to the Patriots on Tuesday and rumors are rampant that Emmanuel Sanders in Denver might be never. So it’s not a huge stretch to think the Bears might get something for Taylor Gabriel. NFL teams are always looking for speed on offense. Outside of his big game in Washington (3 TD catches), he has four catches for 41 yards on the season.
While his exit may deprive the Bears of speed, the fact is they don’t currently have a QB on the roster who can take advantage of it. So perhaps it’s best to get a pick and some cap space out of him while they still can.
