Latest NFL trade news puts Bears GM Ryan Poles at crossroads when weighing the short and long-term plans ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has a tough decision to weigh after New York Giants three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence requested a trade ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears got a massive, but costly, opportunity to land an impact defensive lineman after the New York Giants three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence requested a trade after seven seasons.
These kind of opportunities don’t come around very often to land a player that’s consistently among the best at his position. The Bears already kicked the can on adding Maxx Crosby this offseason but felt such a move went beyond the team’s guardrails.
The conversation could be different for Lawrence. The asking price would be lower in terms of trade value but Lawrence will still be looking for a new contract and is coming off a down season caused by a lingering elbow injury.
Dexter Lawrence trade request puts Ryan Poles in a tough situation, but it’s still worth calling about
Since taking over as the team’s general manager in 2022, Ryan Poles has been a lot more calculated and strategic with his decision-making the last two years. After being asked about the Maxx Crosby trade possibility back in March, he offered telling insight about his roster-building philosophy.
“I’ve mentioned this over the years, constantly just looking at short term, long term, what’s going to help this football team now?” Poles explained. “But also, being conscious of what’s going to happen down the road. We want to sustain success. We’ve talked about that a lot. In order to do that, we have to be very casual with moves that we make.”
Trading two first-round picks for Maxx Crosby would help the Bears now, but it wasn’t going to help the team down the road. With Dexter, it’s not that different.
The Bears would still have to give up a first-round pick and more to acquire Lawrence and then give him a new deal. Like Crosby, Dexter is 28-years-old, he has two years remaining on his contract with $20 million in cash due in 2026 and $22 million in 2027.
Chicago is already tight on funds and would need to restructure some contracts to even absorb Lawrence’s remaining deal. As for the trade value, it would have to be similar to the Quinnen Williams deal in which the New York Jets received a first-rounder, a second-rounder and a young defensive tackle in Mazi Smith.
The absolute most I would suggest if I were Ryan Poles is the 25th overall pick and Gervon Dexter Sr. while making sure I keep both 2026 second-round picks. The real question is, is Dexter Lawrence worth more than four-five cost controlled years of a first-round rookie?
Would Ryan Poles value Dexter Lawrence more than a rookie selected with the 25th overall pick?
The 25th overall pick is never going to be a sure-fire landing spot for a top-caliber player compared to where the Bears were in years past with a Top-10 selection. Heck, most teams have traded out of this exact selection in recent drafts. Recent 25th overall picks include Jaxon Dart, Jordan Morgan, Dalton Kincaid, Tyler Linderbaum, and Travis Etienne.
It’s possible to find some hits in that range if you trust the board. For the Bears, one of the top linked players with the 25th overall pick has fittingly been Ohio State nose tackle Kayden McDonald. So really, it’s worth asking which one the Bears would rather have: a rookie such as Kayden McDonald and other assets OR a proven star in Dexter Lawrence.
If McDonald, whom the Bears met with twice already at the NFL Combine and on a 30 visit, is the ideal target with the 25th overall pick, this becomes a fascinating discussion. However, all of it all depends on what kind of grade the Bears have on McDonald.
Given how Poles has operated lately with his decision-making, I see the Bears taking their chances on the best player available with the 25th overall pick (McDonald or not) and banking on that player being an impact contributor in Year 1.
It’s not something fans want to hear, but the cons are too high when it comes to making a splash trade for someone like Lawrence.
New York Giants News
Looking at 9 mock trade offers for Dexter Lawrence: Giants receive a first-round pick and more following star’s trade request
New York Giants star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is requesting a trade. We asked our A to Z Sports staff what they would give up for him. More than one offer features a first-round pick.
