A few days ago we covered three trade possibilities that would be considered bold for the Chicago Bears at the upcoming deadline. While fun to ponder, anybody with common sense probably knows such ideas are a fantasy. Not because they aren’t possible. More because GM Ryan Pace typically isn’t known for making such moves in the middle of the season.
His lone deadline action to this point in his career was sending a conditional 7th rounder to the Chargers in exchange for Dontrelle Inman back in 2017. Since then? Nothing. To be fair the Bears weren’t really in a position to be aggressive the past two years for various reasons. This time around feels a bit different though. Why?
They’re in that sweet spot.
A team that has a good record (5-1) but also a team that has a list of easy-to-identify flaws that a trade could help fix. Given the state of the roster, it feels like 2020 might be their last, best chance to make a run at a Super Bowl before a soft reboot arrives. Remember the Bears will be around $7 million in the red starting next offseason.
This means they will likely have to reshape the roster in order to gain salary cap space. Sacrifices could be looming. Pace needs to consider capitalizing on this window while he can. Are there any moves out there that fit his style of thinking? Low risk, high reward, and cheap?
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James Carpenter had a very strong game in Week 6. Played physical & powerful. pic.twitter.com/MTFdtgcT5O
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) October 21, 2020
Here are three Chicago Bears trades that fit Pace
A 6th round pick to Atlanta for James Carpenter
Nobody would ever call Carpenter a star, but a guy who starts 114 games in the NFL can’t be called bad. The 31-year old has remained a steady and reliable blocker for the Atlanta Falcons the past two years. He’s done nothing to lose his job but at 1-5 it’s clear his team might be looking towards the future. They have rookie Matt Hennessy waiting for an opportunity. Dealing Carpenter to a winning team for a pick makes perfect sense.
Why Pace would do it – Not only is Carpenter cheap from a pick standpoint but his contract is more than manageable as well. He’ll cost around $2.5 million for the rest of 2020 and his contract goes through 2022. The Bears could elect to keep him another year or two or they can cut him next offseason for $4 million in cap space.
A conditional 6th round pick to Cincinnati for John Ross
It really felt like Ross was going to be a star after he rocked the NFL world with his blistering 4.22 in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine in 2017. Sadly that vast potential was never realized in Cincinnati. It’s hard to say how much was his fault and how much was the Bengals just being a bad team. He seemed to find a little groove last year with 506 yards at 18.1 yards per reception. Then this year he’s been relegated to the bench.
Why Pace would do it – This can be set up the same way the Inman trade was. A later round pick with conditions attached that must be met in order for it to go through. Ross is still just 25-years old. His speed is undeniable and the Bears have a serious lack of it on offense. Especially after Tarik Cohen went down. Money won’t be a huge issue either at around $2.5 million for the rest of 2020. Nick Foles loves to take deep shots. Having Ross and Darnell Mooney on the field would afford him more chances.
Tom Brady is missing James White. Any quarterback would. pic.twitter.com/DgNww8Jtkz
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) October 18, 2020
A 7th round pick in 2022 to New England for James White
The Patriots are never shy about making deals this time of year. It’s kind of their thing. Chicago has a long history of trading with them, especially during the Pace era. So the line of communication is always open. One thing the Chicago Bears miss is that pass-catching running back who could create mismatches. Losing Cohen took that away from them. White established himself as one of the better receiving backs in the NFL the past few years. However, his use in New England has plummeted this season.
Why Pace would do it – White is still 28-years old and has 133 yards receiving in the three games he’s played this season. So he’s still a threat. Money won’t be a huge issue at around $2 million for the rest of the year. The Patriots don’t need to keep him with Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, Damien Harris, and J.J. Taylor also on the roster. With him being a free agent next year, they might as well get something back for him.