The Chicago Bears continue to prep for their massive Week 8 opponent in the Washington Commanders, who they will face in the late-afternoon window this Sunday. Although fans and the media are excited to see the team get back on the field following their Week 7 bye, there is excitement off the field with the NFL trade deadline less than two weeks away. With rumors that general manager Ryan Poles may trade away a few of his own players while trading for other players to help the team, it may be in his best interest to sell first to stockpile assets before trading for additional talent.

Ryan Poles must capitalize on trading away Bears’ players generating interest before going after any elite-level talent

With the NFL trade deadline set for Election Day on November 5th, the Bears will play only two more games before that day, as Ryan Poles has a list of several players on the Bears’ roster garnering trade interest, while the franchise has also been linked to be inquiring about other available talent. Poles could trade running back Khalil Herbert, offensive lineman Nate Davis, and defensive end Dominique Robinson. as despite them having some past success with the Bears, currently do not have a role on the roster.

The two players who are most likely to get traded and receive the highest trade compensation would be Herbert and Davis.

Although Ryan Poles signed Davis back in 2023, the veteran lineman hasn’t lived up to the sizeable free agent contract he received from Chicago, as he has missed several games due to a litany of reasons while also battle questions regarding his desire to play. Herbert, despite having recorded several 100-yard rushing games over the past three seasons, has been forgotten in offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s offense this season. With a rash of injuries plaguing NFL running backs currently, Poles has the rare position of being able to trade away multiple proven talents while having his team remain competitive for a potential playoff push.

From a buying standpoint, Poles and the Bears have been linked to potentially having a desire to acquire one of the few top-end defensive ends that may be available at the trade deadline. Elite pass-rushers such as Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett have generated significant trade interest after the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns traded away star wide receivers Davante Adams and Amari Cooper. Given the current state of the Bears’ offense and defense, many believe that Ryan Poles would be wise to trade for either Garrett or Crosby, as a pairing with Pro Bowler Montez Sweat would make the team a Super Bowl contender.

With a little over a week and a half before the deadline, it is in Poles’ best interest to trade away his own players first to stockpile draft stock before trading for other and more expensive talent. If Chicago is able to trade Herbert, Davis, and another potential player, it would give Ryan Poles three additional mid-round or late-round selections to either keep for himself for package in a trade for a costlier player. A trade package for either Garrett or Crosby would likely involve a high-level selection like a first or second pick, paired with a quantity of other picks.

Stockpiling draft picks by trading away his own players gives Ryan Poles an immense level of flexibility as Chicago has three selections in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft paired with other selections.

Although the Browns and Raiders would push for two or even all three of the Chicago’s top three selections in 2025, Poles may be more reluctant to trade a plethora of mid-round selections while holding on to their own first-round selection and potentially one of the two second-round selections. Having three or four extra draft picks to work enables the Bears’ to have leverage amongst other competitors vying for Crosby or Garrett, but also leverage with the Raiders and Browns being able to offer different types of offers.

Ryan Poles needs to acquire draft stock for long-term flexibility to improve Chicago’s roster over the next few seasons

From a long-term standpoint, stockpiling selections before making a potential block-buster trade may be the wisest decision for Ryan Poles, given where the team is at from a salary-cap standpoint. Poles has done tremendous job overhauling Chicago’s roster with talented players, and over the past year has begun the process of locking up several core pieces to long-term contract extensions. Although the Bears are in an ideal spot to handle a massive contract that either Crosby or Garrett currently have, the franchise would have very limited cap space following a potential trade for the next few seasons.

If Chicago does end up acquiring one of the league’s best pass-rushers and are limited on cap space next offseason or in 2026, there will be significant pressure on Ryan Poles to build the roster via scouting and drafting, which makes obtaining additional draft selections from trading players away this year so vital. Depending on what transpires at the deadline, the only need other than addressing depth will be adding offensive line help, which was shaping up to be the Bears’ offseason plan after 2024.

Poles can establish himself as one of the league’s best general managers and one of the best in franchise history if he executes a massive trade to put Chicago’s roster over the top while still having healthy draft capital to add to the team via the draft.

Too often is it seen where an NFL team will sacrifice draft stock in order to acquire a player they view as a final piece to put their roster over the top, but then are unable to improve their team in the offseason after because of no salary cap space or draft selections. If Ryan Poles and the Bears want to go in on a player that they believe can help them reach a Super Bowl, it is best to do it while still giving themselves as much flexibility as possible.

Every year one NFL team makes a trade that they view as the last piece that allows them to compete for a Super Bowl, as in years past it has been the San Francisco 49ers trading for Christian McCaffrey or the New York Jets trading for Adams last week.

If Ryan Poles acquires an elite-level pass-rusher before the deadline, the acquisition will make Chicago’s defense arguably the best defensive unit in the NFL. Before Poles potentially pulls a trigger on a trade, it is in his best interest to trade off his players generating trade interest to provide the Bears will as many assets as possible to pounce.

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