The NFL trade deadline will soon rear an important day for some teams in the league.
That doesn't exclude the Bears, either.
With one win through five weeks, the Bears are in a precarious position. Should they be willing to poach names from other teams' trade blocks? Or, is this a time when they take advantage of expiring contracts and aging veterans to continue stockpiling their ammunition?
It's undecided in the Bears' building, but ESPN's Courtney Cronin insists the Bears are working towards identifying how they'll operate at the deadline. That means shopping names around.
"From what I've been told, checking around the league right now they're [the Bears] gauging interest on what the appetite is for those two players [Eddie Jackson and Jaylon Johnson ] I mentioned specifically," Cronin said on ESPN 1000's Chicago Bears podcast. " ... It's the front office doing its due diligence to set itself up for whether they're buyers or sellers at the deadline."
Certainly, it's an unsurprising development.
Chicago Bears
The Bears chose not to extend Johnson this past offseason, who was eligible for an extension from his rookie contract. The same thinking can be applied to Darnell Mooney, who also didn't agree to an extension. The Bears did, however, ink Cole Kmet to a four-year deal worth $50 million. That leaves a head-scratcher.
And there's one question the Bears must ask themselves when thinking about next season and beyond: who do you want to be a part of your long-term vision for the team?
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This season is a viable litmus test to answer that question. So far, Johnson's coverage numbers as the Bears' top corner are superb; but, he's been injured for the past two games with a hamstring injury. Do the Bears believe in Johnson enough to bring him back long-term? Remember, the current regime didn't draft him.
As for Jackson, he's two months away from being on the wrong side of 30 years old. He's been a staple for the Bears' last line of defense for the past seven years. But his play has been volatile since after he earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors between 2018-19.
He, like Johnson, hasn't been healthy, either. Last season, he suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury to his foot. This season, he's dealing with another foot injury, which has kept him out for three games.
His injury will be at the top of mind for potential trade suitors. But the Bears could try to leverage the four interceptions he created last season to convince interested parties he's still in his prime.
It's a combination of the Bears' belief in those players, along with their market value.
Rest assured, the Bears will soon have to act fast, as their calculations hold imperative weight on the long-term future of their team.
