With the season coming up in a couple of months and with minicamps occurring at this moment, there are still some additions the Bears can make to their roster. There are plenty of things still up for grabs in the NFL world, especially in the trade market. There’s a good chance that none of these trade ideas end up coming to fruition, but it is fun to speculate.

Chase Young

Commander DE Chase Young (99) – Bryan Manning

Not too long ago, Chase Young was one of the most promising pass rushers in the NFL. He made an immediate splash in his rookie year in 2020. In that season, he finished with 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, ten tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits. He also won Defensive Rookie of the Year and made the pro bowl. Most importantly of all, he helped lead Washington to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. He, along with Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat, and Daron Payne, formed a deadly defensive line that was largely responsible for Washington improving from the 27th-ranked scoring defense in 2019 to the 4th-best scoring defense in 2020.

However, it’s been a bumpy road for Chase Young since that great rookie season and his 2021 season ended in week 10 with a torn ACL, and his 2022 season barely got off the ground because of that injury. As a result, the Commanders have experienced two straight seasons of disappointment, although their defense did improve back to 2020 levels after regressing in 2021. As a result of these two injury-riddled seasons, there have been increased discussions of potential trades being made for him.

For the Chicago Bears, this would be an ideal move to make, given their current situation with their edge rushers. As I addressed in my state of the franchise for the Bears, they didn’t really do a great job at upgrading their pass rushers. Sure, they did sign DeMarcus Walker, but that’s not enough to make up for what looks to be a glaring weakness for their team. Inserting Chase Young into that defense could make up for that in spades.

While the injury concerns are very real, Chase Young has proven that he can be a cornerstone of a great defense. It was not very long ago that he was in discussions to be the premier pass rusher in football in the near future. And given the Bears’ recent success with pass rushers not drafted by them in Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn, trading for Chase Young could be a game-changer for this young Bears’ defense.

Regarding the logistics of the trade, it’s safe to say that the Commanders would want a decent amount for Young, given that he was the second overall pick in the 2020 draft and his great rookie season. It’s been rumored for well over a month now that the Bears could trade for Chase Young, and yet it has never progressed beyond rumors, so I wouldn’t expect this trade to be made, especially since there are other teams hoping for Young’s services.

Gus Edwards

Ravens RB Gus Edwards (35) – Shawn Hubbard/Baltimore Ravens Photos

This is admittedly more of a shot in the dark than anything else, but perhaps this is something that could transpire. Gus Edwards has been with the Ravens for a number of years as one of their primary ball carriers. He started off his career in 2018 with three straight seasons of 700 or more rushing yards. However, during training camp for the 2021 season, he tore his ACL, causing him to miss the entire season. As a result of his torn ACL, Edwards’ 2022 season was also limited, as he only played in 9 games. However, he still maintained his efficiency from his years prior to the injury, as he still averaged five yards per carry in 2022.

Given how expendable the running back position is now in the NFL, it wouldn’t be that surprising for the Ravens to either overutilize or underutilize Edwards for this season, depending on what happens. The Ravens have repeatedly shown in the Lamar Jackson era that they will almost always have an elite rushing attack with or without Gus Edwards, so there is a world where he could become expendable.

As for the Bears, while they did pick up D’Onta Foreman this offseason, it shouldn’t hurt them to go out fishing for another running back to pair with Foreman and Khalil Herbert. It likely wouldn’t take much to trade for Edwards, given the lack of value among rotation backs in today’s NFL. That being said, this is far more of a guess than anything else, especially compared to Chase Young, where there is actual demand for both sides.

Carlton Davis

Buccaneers CB Carlton Davis (24) – Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Given that Davis just signed a three-year contract with the Buccaneers just last offseason, it’d be highly unlikely that Davis would be on the trading block this soon. But that doesn’t mean that that couldn’t happen.

Carlton Davis has been a key piece of the Buccaneers’ defense since he was drafted back in 2018. He was especially key in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run in 2020, where he nabbed four interceptions that season. He’s had some seasons dealing with injuries, namely in 2021, but for the most part, he’s been able to stay on the field. Is Carlton Davis an elite cornerback? Not by any means. However, he is a starting-caliber cornerback in the NFL today, which the Bears could use if they don’t want to throw their rookie corner, Tyrique Stevenson, into the fire right away.

The reason that this trade could maybe happen is because of the direction of the Buccaneers. They’re currently trending downward thanks to the retirement of Tom Brady and their middling 2022 season. They already lost out on Sean Murphy-Bunting in free agency, so this could serve as an opportunity to clean house and completely commit to a rebuild. That being said, it’s highly unlikely that this will happen, given that Davis is only 26 years old and that the Buccaneers are fairly thin at the corner position as is.

Recap

Bears CB Jaylen Johnson (33) – Kamil Krzaczynski/AP

As is, I don’t believe that the Bears are in desperate need of a trade at this moment. It would be nice if they could get any of the targets listed, especially Chase Young, but I don’t think it’s likely that any of these trades will come to fruition. I think what’s most important for the Bears is to just focus on the team that they have now and hope to develop it for the next two and a half months before the season kicks off.