Why the Chicago Bears have to make a trade now thanks to the NFL Scouting Combine
The Chicago Bears don't have a choice — they have to make a trade after what we saw on Thursday night at the NFL Scouting Combine. Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave ran an official 4.39 in the 40-yard dash. Not as impressive as his unofficial 4.26, but still a very fast time. Olave […]
The Chicago Bears don't have a choice — they have to make a trade after what we saw on Thursday night at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave ran an official 4.39 in the 40-yard dash. Not as impressive as his unofficial 4.26, but still a very fast time.
Olave played with Bears quarterback Justin Fields at Ohio State for two years (2019 and 2020).
Wouldn't it be great to see the two reunite in Chicago?
I know, the Bears have plenty of other holes on their roster that need to be addressed. And more importantly, Chicago doesn't have a first-round pick this year (that's why they have Fields).
Olave is being projected as a first-round pick — somewhere in the No. 20 to No. 25 overall range.
The Bears would need to trade back into the first round to land Olave.
But I think it would be worth it.
Just look at what Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase did with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. Chase had one of the greatest rookie seasons ever by a wide receiver this past year. And I think it had a lot to do with the fact that Chase and Burrow were already familiar with each other from their days together at LSU.
The Bengals had other holes on their roster that needed to be filled — specifically along their offensive line. But they eschewed those needs in favor of a familiar weapon for Burrow. And it paid off in a big way — Cincinnati went from 4-11-1 in 2020 to a Super Bowl appearance in 2021. Chase was a big part of that sudden improvement for the Bengals.
Chicago is in a similar situation entering 2022. They're coming off a 6-11 season in 2021 and they have a second-year quarterback in Fields that could use another offensive weapon.
An Olave/Fields combination could be the Bears' version of Burrow/Chase.
Chicago, however, will have to make some moves to make that combination happen. I think it would be worth it for them to at least explore such a move.
Featured image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
