NFL insider revealed Bears GM Ryan Poles showed some restraint ahead of the NFL trade deadline and he made the right call
The Chicago Bears took the right approach to acquiring a pass rusher on Tuesday.
The Chicago Bears went into Tuesday’s trade deadline day in serious need of some pass rush depth after losing starting defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo.
Sitting at 5-3, making a move at the deadline to acquire another pass rusher was a smart play to bolster the defense in preparation for a final playoff push in the first season under new head coach Ben Johnson, but the team needed to be smart about the approach given the current timeline.
It’s only Year 1 of the Ben Johnson Era. Trading future capital comes at a cost, which means general manager Ryan Poles needed to show a little restraint when it came to his window shopping. Turns out he was able to do that more so than we initially thought.
Bears were in the running for Jermaine Johnson II but pivoted over the price
The biggest story on deadline day easily centered around the New York Jets, who seemingly opened a giant for sale sign in East Rutherford. The Jets parted ways with two franchise cornerstones in Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, loading up on some serious capital. While the madness was unfolding, all of the insiders around the league said the Jets might not be done selling.
The name everyone was waiting to see announced in a trade was defensive end Jermaine Johnson II, who’s in the final year of his contract and someone that had a lot of interest from other teams. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported after the deadline that the Bears and the San Francisco 49ers were among the teams trying to trade for Johnson.
That’s the kind of aggressive swing many expected the Bears to make at the deadline, but the front office balked at the second-round asking price and pivoted to Joe Tryon-Shoyinka instead. And it was ultimately the right decision to make.
As good of a player Johnson is, a second-round pick is too much for Chicago to give up given the actual need at the position and the state of the building process. Think about it, it’s the same capital Poles gave up for Montez Sweat at the deadline and then had to hand out a massive extension.
When Poles made that trade, Chicago needed an impact star off the edge and made a move to acquire one. This time around, the Bears didn’t need an impact star or even a starting-caliber player, the defense needed depth.
That’s what the Bears got in Tryon-Shoyinka. A 26-year-old former first-round pick with experience as a rotational pass rusher that can mix in behind Sweat and Austin Booker. Not to mention it only cost the Bears a six/seven pick swap, sending a sixth-round pick for Tryon-Shoyinka and a seventh-round pick. That’s great value and exactly the kind of move the Bears needed to be hunting for.
Now Booker gets more of an opportunity to finally start opposite Sweat off the edge and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen gets another young edge rusher that fits his ideal traits. Comparing Tryon-Shoyinka to Johnson, I also think the Bears have a better chance of re-signing Tryon-Shoyinka after the season than they would have had they traded for Johnson.
While they didn’t get the hot name, this absolutely should still be seen as a win for Chicago.
Chicago Bears News
Bears made a move at the trade deadline but still have one pressing need on defense with limited options to address it
Bears should consider looking into some free agent options at CB again.
