Bears could pounce on disgruntled veteran after latest NFL decision opens the door for one AFC team to be a seller at the trade deadline
A front office shake-up in Indianapolis has put a frustrated veteran defensive tackle on Chicago’s radar, and the price might be lower than you’d expect.
The Indianapolis Colts made the first major front office decision of the 2026 NFL season on Monday, firing general manager Chris Ballard following a Week 6 loss to the Tennessee Titans. For the Chicago Bears, that move could open the door to a trade for veteran difference-maker before the trade deadline.
When a team moves on from its GM this early, the next thing to watch is a potential fire sale. Look back at what happened with the Miami Dolphins last season. Miami fired its general manager midseason and soon started shipping players out of town ahead of the trade deadline.
That’s why the situation in Indianapolis is something the Bears need to monitor over the next few weeks.
DeForest Buckner is the player to watch based on Chicago’s current needs
NFL insider Albert Breer has already named two Colts players to watch on the trade market following Ballard’s firing: defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and running back Jonathan Taylor.
Let me be frank. Taylor is a player I would have loved to see in Chicago. If the Bears had found a way to make a push for him as a 2027 free agent, it would have been a fun situation to track. However, Indianapolis got Taylor locked up on his new contract, and Chicago turned around and locked up its own guy in D’Andre Swift. That option is off the table at this point.
Buckner is a different story entirely.
Buckner wasn’t happy with the direction of the Colts even before the front office shake-up. After the loss to the Titans, the veteran defensive tackle didn’t hold back.
“I’m sick and tired of the same song and dance every year,” Buckner said.
It’s hard to read that as anything other than a player who wants out of Indianapolis. Add in a GM firing just six weeks into the season, and the Colts could soon be open to listening to offers to get some kind of return.
That’s where the Bears come in. I do think Buckner would be a valuable addition to Chicago’s defensive line, especially on the interior where a proven pass rusher can change the complexion of a front.
What a DeForest Buckner trade would cost the Bears
So, what would a deal actually look like for the Bears to bring Buckner to Chicago?
Using the A to Z Sports Trade Simulator, Buckner carries a trade value of 329 points. To land him, the Bears would only have to give up a 2027 fourth-round pick along with a future seventh-round pick. That package comes out to a trade value of 332 points.
At first glance, that’s a pretty reasonable price for a veteran who can step into the rotation right away and give the defensive line a boost. The kicker here is the cap space situation. According to the trade simulator, acquiring Buckner would put the Bears $1.3 million over the 2026 salary cap.
Chicago would need to restructure someone else’s contract to make the math work. The other route would be structure a new deal with Buckner after the trade. That’s a tough thing to do, considering Buckner is already 32-years-old and a player on the back end of his career.
Still, the draft capital required is minimal, and the cap problem isn’t impossible to solve. It just requires some creativity from the front office.
Going into the trade deadline, the Colts’ next moves will tell us a lot about whether a fire sale is really coming. If Buckner hits the market, the Bears have the chance to make a low-cost, high-upside move for their defensive front to get a difference-making piece up-front. To me, a move like this could be worth it unless the Bears circle back around to Khalil Mack.
