Getty Bears head coach Matt Eberflus still has ties to Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
The Chicago Bears are running out of free agent options to fill the crucial three-technique tackle role on their defense, but general manager Ryan Poles might still have a veteran solution available on the trade market in the coming weeks.
Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has been one of the most widely discussed trade targets for the Bears during the 2023 season, as the two-time All-Pro has the experience and skills to perfectly slot into the three-tech spot. He also played his first two seasons in Indianapolis under Eberflus as his defensive coordinator, making him an ideal fit for the role that Eberflus has described as the “engine” of his defense.
For those reasons, Bleacher Report’s Jack Rill believes Buckner could be a target for the Bears either before or during the 2023 NFL draft and listed him as one of his top “hypothetical” trade options for Chicago in the coming weeks. He also predicted the Bears could get him away from the Colts for a mid-level pick, specifically the fourth-round selection (No. 133 overall) that they acquired from their Robert Quinn trade.
“Still having [about $37.46] million in available cap space, per Over the Cap, Chicago has the financial flexibility to add a player such as Buckner. And he would help upgrade the team’s defense, as he recorded 74 tackles and eight sacks in 17 games last season,” Rill wrote in his April 3 article. “The Bears shouldn’t be willing to send a ton of picks to the Colts in exchange for Buckner. But if the asking price is right (such as an early Day 3 pick), then Chicago would be wise to try to work out this type of deal.”
DeForest Buckner Fits, But Are Colts Taking Offers?
GettyDeForest Buckner would fit with the Bears, but the Colts haven’t indicated they want to trade him.
The Bears’ defensive line was so bad in 2022 that just about any veteran addition would be classified as an upgrade. Chicago’s defense finished the season with a league-low 20 sacks and allowed the second-most rushing yards (157.3 yards per game), both of which were major factors in the Bears skidding to a 3-14 finish in Eberflus’ first season.
With Buckner, though, the Bears would be gaining a supercharger that would elevate their entire defense for the 2023 season, especially with them being expected to add some high-level defensive pieces in the NFL draft later this month. The former first-round pick and two-time All-Pro recorded the fifth-most pressures (56) among all interior defensive linemen in 2022 and was a high-volume tackler (a fourth-most 74) for the Colts defense. He also still has a few more years left in his prime, having just turned 29 back on March 15.
The real question is whether Indianapolis is even considering trade offers for Buckner. The Bears might have been able to force Buckner’s name into trade talks back when they still owned the No. 1 overall pick and were speaking with potential partners about a deal — and maybe Poles did talk to Colts general manager Chris Ballard about him — but the Colts have less incentive to give up a big part of their defense if it doesn’t help position them for a new franchise quarterback.
Buckner’s expensive contract ($19.75 million cap hit in 2023 and $20.25 million in 2024) could also act as a motivator if the Colts believe they will need a few more years to rebuild into a contender again. Buckner has just $1 million of guaranteed money left on his contract and would allow the Colts to nearly double their cap space — from its current state of about $19.94 million — if they traded him between now and the start of the 2023 season. Then again, they wouldn’t have an obvious need for the additional space unless they planned to pursue Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
As things stand now, hanging onto Buckner is still the logical move for the Colts.
Who Else Could Interest Bears on Trade Market?
GettyJeffery Simmons is another potential trade target the Bears could inquire about before the 2023 NFL draft.
Buckner wasn’t the only “hypothetical” trade that Rill pitched for the Bears, but he was the most sensible suggestion in terms of a pick(s)-for-player deal. He also proposed the Bears could send a second-rounder (No. 53) and a fifth-rounder (No. 148) to the Los Angeles Chargers to get superstar running back Austin Ekeler. But it is hard to imagine Poles giving up that type of draft capital for a running back that would immediately need a lucrative new contract, especially after signing both D’Onta Foreman and Travis Homer in free agency.
So, what other players could the Bears potentially target in a trade?
Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons is a big one. The star defensive end has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason, almost exclusively because he and the Titans have not yet been able to agree on a new contract extension. According to The Tennessean, while Simmons would prefer to stay with the Titans, he also wants to get an extension signed before the start of the 2023 season. If the two sides are unable to make any progress in negotiations over the next month, the Bears should at least inquire about him. They might even be able to tempt Tennessee with a first-round trade if the Titans have a quarterback in their sights and want to move up to No. 9 overall to get him.
The rest of the market is harder to predict. The Bears have already made two trades for wide receivers over the past six months, getting Chase Claypool from Pittsburgh and D.J. Moore from Carolina, so it is fair to assume they won’t be making another blockbuster deal in that regard, but they could realistically have interest in trading for an offensive tackle, defensive linemen or a veteran cornerback if the price is right.