Cornerback could be the Bears’ most overlooked trade deadline target, these 3 candidates make sense for Ryan Poles and Dennis Allen
The Chicago Bears are rumored to be aggressive ahead of the 2026 trade deadline and not enough people are exploring potential cornerback options Ryan Poles and Dennis Allen could look into.
We are officially on trade watch in Chicago after basically every major insider mentioned the Chicago Bears as a team that’s expected to be aggressive ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL Trade Deadline.
What aggressive actually looks like is subjective, but I expect the Bears to make more than one deal to boost the defensive side of the ball. Everyone is already well aware of the Bears sniffing around defensive line help, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Bears also look to acquire some depth/upgrades at the cornerback position as well.
Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson are no longer reliable starters, leaving the Bears with no choice but to pursue an outside cornerback. Here are three names to watch out for as the deadline creeps closer and closer.
1. Nahshon Wright reunion would be the best thing for all parties involved
The first, and most likely, name to watch isn’t going to be a splash by any means. Nahshon Wright has been a talking point around Bears media and rightfully so. He was a Pro Bowl alternate for this team last year and led all cornerbacks in interceptions. After the season, the Bears let him walk out of the door only to sign a small one-year deal with the New York Jets.
Since then, Wright has played a total of 0 defensive snaps with the Jets through the first seven weeks and only has appeared in three games as a special teamer. It’s clear it’s not a good fit there for him in New York like it was in Chicago. And Wright and Al Harris have a special connection that would make sense for this deal to happen. Plus it would only cost a seventh-round pick, or maybe a future sixth for Wright and a seventh.
My take is, will Wright actually be an upgrade? He was opportunistic, sure. But, Wright struggled just as much in coverage as Johnson and Stevenson. He can matchup well with bigger wide receivers but is a liability when it comes to playing man with faster weapons. If the Bears want cheap depth that knows the system, Wright makes sense. I just don’t think bringing him back would make much of a difference.
2. Would the Philadelphia Eagles be willing to part with Riq Woolen?
This is another name I continue to see mentioned around the cornerback talks with the Bears. Riq Woolen is a talented athlete and a player I would have liked to see the Bears make a push for in free agency. Instead, he signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, but has been much more of a factor defensively. That could be a problem.
Woolen has played 99 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps this season and has been a big part of the team’s secondary. I don’t see Philadelphia shipping a guy like that away, unless the team continues bottoming out with no other option but to start selling. Woolen has elite size, length, and speed to really thrive in this system as a sticky man corner. So, it doesn’t hurt to call.
My take: This would be a logical move, but again I don’t see the Eagles parting with him willingly. Which means it could cost a Day 2 pick or multiple Day 3 picks. I don’t think that’d be worth it for a one-year rental, even if he’d be a clear upgrade.
3. Ryan Poles making another deal with his former team?
Another name worth watching is Kristian Fulton from the Kansas City Chiefs. Ryan Poles could call his former team and see if Fulton is someone they’d finally part with. It’s worth noting that Fulton played just three defensive snaps on Sunday night and has fallen down the depth chart.
Yet, I still believe Fulton is a capable man corner and an aggressive downhill tackler. He’s also familiar with playing in a dime/nickel heavy scheme that uses defensive backs as weapons, much like Dennis Allen runs in Chicago.
My take: I would really be interested in Fulton. Not a splash name, but a player in need of a change of scenery. Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports Kansas City noted the Chiefs are looking for a WR who can beat man coverage if they were to make any trade. I don’t see the Bears moving a WR, but maybe Poles can talk Brett Veach into taking a draft pick.
Wildcard: Would the Giants consider moving any of its CBs?
One last team to watch is the New York Giants. Joe Schoen is more likely to be a buyer than a seller with his team sitting at 4-2-1 on top of the NFC East, but the Giants have an assortment of talent at cornerback.
Greg Newsome II has been playing really well for them and Deonte Banks has had some really strong games this month. The Giants also have Paulson Adebo coming back from the injured reserve along with two young players in Dru Phillips and rookie Colton Hood.
My take: Deonte Banks is a sneaky player the Giants could flip after his strong play since coming back from his calf injury. It’d be worth checking in to see if he’s available and how much it would cost. He’s only 25-years-old and could be an option to have long-term.
