Head coach Matt Eberflus will head into the Chicago Bears rookie minicamp with a solid core of defensive tackles to develop. General manager Ryan Poles understands the Bears are still weak at the pass rush after failing to find a defensive end that was a valuable fit at the position they drafted last week. Fortunately for the defense, there are plenty of options in free agency and likely via trade this offseason. A Bears insider recently wrote about a realistic trade option for Poles.
The Chicago Bears have a few trade options
Many Bears fans and analysts find compelling options in Montez Sweat and Chase Young from the Washington Commanders. The thought behind trading for those potential players is that the Commanders probably won’t be able to sign both players next offseason after they extended defensive tackle Daron Payne this offseason. They will only have so much money to allocate for their defensive line next year, much like the scenario Poles will face with wide receivers Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney.
The Chicago Bears might have to look past the Commanders
Brad Biggs with the Chicago Tribune recently wrote about defensive end options for the Bears. He assumes Poles will try adding to the position next month. Biggs doesn’t think the Commanders would be willing to trade before the season starts. The Commanders are playoff contenders this season with head coach Ron Rivera on tje hot seat. They will need all of their best unit to make a push. Biggs thinks there’s another defensive end the Bears could trade for in Carl Lawson with New York Jets.
“Some have wondered if the New York Jets will cut Carl Lawson, who is entering the final year of his contract and will make $15 million this season. They would eat only $333,333 in dead money if he’s released, but I think if the Jets were going to cut him, they probably would have done so by now. That being said, the Jets have an abundance of edge rushers on their roster and might be willing to trade Lawson for cheap.
Lawson had seven sacks and 24 quarterback hits last season. He’s not a top-rated edge rusher by any means, but he would be head and shoulders above what the Bears have. Lawson has 78 QB hits over the last three seasons. I suppose it’s possible the Jets would eat some of the salary in a trade, especially if it meant an enhanced draft pick. Maybe they’ll release Lawson, but it seems they could be holding out hope they get a pick for him in return.”
Ryan Poles could land the Bears an experienced starter
Lawson would be a good option for the Bears. He might not be the brand-name defensive end that many fans have at the top of their list, like Jadeveon Clowney, but he’s a solid veteran who could help the Bears’ rotation until Poles can draft more talent next year.
Lawson is a former first-team All-American defensive end from Auburn. He earned NFL All-Rookie team honors in 2017 when he recorded 8.5 sacks for the Cincinnati Bengals. He never surpassed those numbers, as he had to deal with an ACL injury in 2018 and a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2021.
2022 was Lawson’s first season since his rookie year that he played in every game. He earned 33 combined tackles, seven sacks, and 19 stops for the Jets. Lawson earned a 66.8 overall grade for his player last season. He was graded much higher at pass rushing (72.8) than run defense (48.8).
Lawson was a starter for the Jets last season, so he’d give the Bears a truly experienced starting option at defensive end if they wanted to go that route. Or they could use him on more passing downs if he can’t be trusted in run defense. DeMarcus Walker has been much better against the run. The Jets could look to trade him after they drafted Will McDonald IV in the first round last week.
For More Chicago Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks.
For More Great Chicago Sports Content
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
