What’s next for wheeling, dealing Bears? Trade Matt Forte? Jay Cutler?
The Chicago Bears started the ball rolling toward 2016 and beyond, trading defensive end Jared Allen and linebacker Jon Bostic in separate deals on Tuesday.
Who is next?
New general manager Ryan Pace inherited a bloated, talent-deficient and aged roster, and he knew changes had to come. Pace is doing his best Theo Epstein impression here, shedding unwanted and ill-fitting pieces, even if he has to sell on quarters on the dollar.
Allen was a high-priced free-agent addition and Bostic a former second-round pick — they represent two of the biggest misses of the much-maligned Phil Emery era.
Could the Bears look to keep dealing? We think they will.
[Yahoo Daily Fantasy Football: Enter our $1 Million Week 4 contest]
But if you’re a Bears fan and you’re hoping some gullible team is willing to throw a draft pick at them for Jay Cutler, we suggest stop hoping for miracles. It isn’t likely with Cutler’s salary boat anchor, even though he is the kind of smart quarterback who could pick up an offense in a jiffy.
Instead, the Bears will do their best to deal running back Matt Forte. Why consider trading one of your best offensive pieces? Well, he’s heading into free agency, and the Bears might not get anything back for him if he leaves on his own volition, short of a 2017 compensatory pick. He’s 29, seeking to land another strong contract, and Forte has shown he is still a top-level running back who offers versatility with his receiving ability. But he’s of no more use for the Bears, who like third-round pick Jeremy Langford and might start to give him more run.
Better to deal him to a contender who might need a running back — why not the Denver Broncos or Baltimore Ravens? The Broncos have been limited with C.J. Anderson’s injury and have been one of the worst rushing teams in the league, and Forte’s receiving ability could be a nice outlet for Peyton Manning. The Ravens make sense because of their limitations in the run game — and the passing game, for that matter — and the presence of offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, who helped scheme up Forte’s two best career seasons in Chicago.
John Elway and Ozzie Newsome have made player trades before, and each could be interested. Shutdown Corner reached out to Adisa Bakari, Forte’s agent, who said, “We have nothing to say about [any trade rumors]” before hanging up abruptly.
Another player who could be traded by the Bears is Willie Young who, like Allen, was a bad fit in the team’s new 3-4 scheme. He’d be better off going to a team that runs a 4-3, and the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and New York Giants might give up a conditional pick for Young, who had 10 sacks and a forced fumble in 15 games (eight starts) last season. Young was a healthy scratch for what the Bears termed a special teams decision. He’s not a fit as a standup linebacker.
Does this project well to local fans? No. But this type of roster purge happens and is necessary in circumstances such as this. The new regime will look to any and all ways to turn the page on the past and stockpile draft picks — even lower ones — to help the rebuilding process that appears to be long and laborious.
More NFL coverage on Yahoo Sports:
– – – – – – –
Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm
