Getty Houston Texans pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
The Chicago Bears have one of the best defenses in the NFL, and projected regression or not, their roster is stacked with elite talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball. So why are some Bears fans and a few media outlets looking for ways that Ryan Pace can bring Jadeveon Clowney to the team?
Twitter has been abuzz with various suggestions from fans on how to do just that, many pleading with the Bears to trade for Clowney:
Clowney to the Bears let’s get it
@mlombardiNFL @McClain_on_NFL Hopefully my guy Ryan Pace has something up his sleeve, Mack & Clowney coming off the edges??? #Bears
Sports Mockery recently floated the idea of the Bears trading Leonard Floyd and guard Kyle Long along with the future second-round pick the Bears got from the Raiders in the Khalil mack trade in exchange for Clowney:
The Insane Way the Chicago #Bears Could Trade For Jadeveon Clowney t.co/IRFKKUnCt0
Sports Mockery did use the word ‘insane’ to describe the ways this potential trade could happen–a trade that seems unnecessary and unlikely for numerous reasons:
The Bears Don’t Really Have the Money
GettyChicago Bears Linebacker Khalil Mack. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
Clowney is going to be coming with a hefty price tag–one the Bears cannot afford if they want to retain the services of players like Eddie Jackson, Tarik Cohen, and Cody Whitehair in the near future–not to mention a certain starting quarterback down the road. Jackson recently told Jim Trotter that the Bears had already begun future contract talks with him–and you can’t blame them for wanting to secure the All Pro safety’s services well into the future.
GM Ryan Pace has assembled a solid group of young talent and hired a coach the players’ respect and fans love in Matt Nagy. Their fiscal future seems fairly mapped out over the next few years at this point. The signing of Khalil Mack not even one year ago was likely Pace’s only major trade for a game-breaking pass rusher–at least for awhile.
The Chicago Bears Don’t Need Jadeveon Clowney
GettyChicago Bears Linebacker Leonard Floyd(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Bears don’t need him, because they have Khalil Mack, who will likely be a contender for Defensive Player of the Year again this season. They also have Akiem Hicks, an emerging Roquan Smith, Eddie Goldman–the list goes on.
By adding Clowney, the Bears could risk over-crowding an already immensely talented locker room by adding one more ego to the mix that doesn’t need to be there. Team chemistry seems excellent right now, especially on defense, so why mess with that?
Several Other Teams May Want Clowney
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles fans.
A game-changing player like Clowney is going to be in high demand, and many teams have already been suggested as good fits for him, including the Eagles, Colts, and Browns, among others. All three of those teams have more salary-cap space to work with than the Bears, who sit 13th out of 32 teams in terms of cap space.
There will likely be more teams for which elite pass rusher is an immediate need, whereas, for the Bears, that’s simply not the case. Their pass-rushing shelves are fully stocked. Besides…
The Bears Have a Larger Hole to Fill
GettyKickers Eddy Pineiro #15 of the Chicago Bears and Elliott Fry #8 sitting on the bench.
The Bears still haven’t found their answer at kicker. While it’s entirely possible either Eddy Piñeiro or Elliott Fry dazzles during the remainder of the preseason, it’s equally possible that both kickers fizzle.
This remains the one position Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy have yet to fill, and it’s a fairly important one. It’s unlikely Pace will make any splash moves until a kicker has been signed first.
READ NEXT: Bears’ Tight Ends Burton and Shaheen Can make Offense Elite