Bears Learn Expected Trade Price for High-End DE Targets

Getty An NFL insider believes Chase Young and Montez Sweat could be available for the Bears (for the right price).

The Chicago Bears now know what to expect in terms of a price tag if they want to make a blockbuster deal for one of the Washington Commanders’ top pass rushers — Chase Young or Montez Sweat — before the NFL trade deadline.

Trade rumors about both Young and Sweat have been building over the past few weeks leading up to the October 31 deadline. Earlier this week, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reported that “several identifiable teams” are interested in both trading for one of the two pass rushers and signing the one they acquire to a long-term extension.

Now, NFL insider Jordan Schultz believes he understands what the price tag would be if an acquiring team — such as the Bears — wanted to trade for either Young or Sweat.

“From everything I’ve been told, it’s probably going to take about a two or a three to get one of them,” Schultz said in a video for Bleacher Report on October 26. “But I do think, at the right price, yes, the Commanders would consider moving one of those talented young pass rushers. That’s my understanding.”

Bears Hold Extra 2nd-Rounder to Use as Trade Chip

It is unclear whether the Bears will be buyers or sellers at the NFL trade deadline given they are midway through the second year of their rebuild and are sitting at a 2-5 record. Should general manager Ryan Poles decide to pull the trigger on a major trade, though, Young and Sweat would each have strong appeal as long-term building blocks.

The Bears are almost certainly not looking to trade away either of their 2024 first-round selections regardless of the talent they stand to gain. Right now, Tankathon projects they will hold the No. 1 (Carolina) and No. 3 (Chicago) overall picks come April. Things could change over the second half of the 2023 season, but the odds favor the Bears picking twice in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL draft — and that helps a rebuild.

Fortunately, the Bears did acquire an additional 2025 second-round pick from Carolina as part of the compensation for giving the Panthers the top pick in the 2023 NFL draft.  With either the Panthers’ pick or their own, they could make a compelling offer for either Young or Sweat and still hold onto all of their picks for the upcoming offseason.

The Bears also check the box as a team capable of signing one of the Commanders’ pass rushers to a long-term contract extension. While Anderson did not list any teams by name in her report about Young and Sweat, Over the Cap projects the Bears to have roughly $110 million in cap space for the 2024 offseason, which would be more than enough for them to add a lucrative contract — or a few — to their books.

Bears’ Pass Rush Remains Major Weakness in 2023

The Bears believed they were on track to have an improved pass rush heading into the 2023 season. They defied expectations and did not draft a single edge rusher, but they made modest investments in pass rushers DeMarcus Walker (three years, $21 million) and Yannick Ngakoue (one year, $10.5 million). They also beefed up their interior, signing veteran Andrew Billings and drafting Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens.

Through seven games, though, the Bears have the second-fewest sacks (10) in the NFL and continue to struggle with consistently pressuring opposing quarterbacks. Walker actually has more pressures (20) than the pass-rush-focused Ngakoue (19) at this point, but both totals rank outside the top 40 in the league among edge rushers.

More frustratingly, though, is the fact that both Bears pass rushers have allowed gift-wrapped opportunities to make plays slip through their fingers. Ngakoue found a clear lane to Baker Mayfield in Week 2 for an easy sack but let Mayfield get away and scramble for a preventable gain. Meanwhile, Walker has notched 12 combined tackles and missed half that many (six) over his first seven performances with the Bears.

The Bears have bigger problems on defense than just their edge rushers, but acquiring a high-level talent like Young or Sweat to lay a long-term foundation could help matters.