The Chicago Bears were among the NFL teams most interested in trading for Tampa Bay Buccaneers star defensive tackle Vita Vea, which is a clear indicator of how GM Ryan Poles is thinking about his defense and how he wants to tackle its most obvious deficiencies.
Chicago’s pass rush was abysmal last year, which Vea would addressed by creating pressure up the middle. He also would have made a unit that surrendered five yards per rush much stouter against the run.
An edge-rusher isn’t going to have the exact same impact, but it makes nearly as much sense that the Bears address the weaknesses across the front four by adding an elite defensive end as an elite tackle. The main determinant may simply be who is available, when and at what price.
Harrison Graham of “Bears Now” suggested something similar when exploring potential trade candidates for Chicago following Vea’s recent extension with the Bucs.
“It’s a signal that the Bears are interested in opportunities,” Graham said on Friday, August 21. “We know they were in on Maxx Crosby earlier this offseason to a certain extent. We now know that they were in on Vita Vea, according to two prominent NFL insiders (Jordan Schultz and Mike Garafolo).”
“I think it’s pretty clear the Bears need another difference maker on their defense,” he continued.
And though it’s been said a million times in a million different ways by a million different analysts over the past few months, Graham revisited first the notion of Chicago picking the phone back up and redialing the Las Vegas Raiders as to Crosby’s availability.
The only difference? This time, it would be a deal at the early November trade deadline.
Maxx Crosby Trade Makes Sense for Raiders if He’s Good, Team Struggles Across First Half of Season
GettyLas Vegas Raiders pass-rusher Maxx Crosby.
Graham’s rationale wasn’t all that different from other arguments that the Bears should pursue Crosby after the season gets underway. However, it is now a bit more informed with actual on-field data as opposed to projections.
“The Raiders are not going to be good. They are getting punked in these joint practices. In the preseason opener, they couldn’t stop the Cardinals for God’s sake,” Graham said. “So if Maxx is healthy and having a good year closer to the trade deadline, he’s going to be a hot name.”
“I don’t think this is a possibility before Week 1 … unless you just massively overpay for Maxx Crosby,” Graham continued, noting that it makes more sense for Chicago to make sure Crosby is beyond the knee injury that scrapped his trade to the Baltimore Ravens in March. “We will keep an eye on that between now and early November.”
Trading for Maxx Crosby Could Complicate Bears’ Pathways to Procuring Elite DT
GettyChicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter.
Chicago may be more interested in a defensive tackle because of the uncertain future there.
Gervon Dexter is entering a contract year, while Grady Jarrett underwhelmed in his first season in Chicago in 2025. The Bears will be able to get off Jarrett’s deal next offseason and create significant savings in the process should he have a repeat performance this time around. Meanwhile, Dexter is a player who, while talented, might require an overpay to keep.
That said, a very strong class of DTs will enter the NFL in 2027. The Bears could look for such a player next spring to pair with preseason breakout star/sixth-round rookie Jordan van den Berg.
In that scenario, trading for a player like Crosby makes more sense. However, he is liable to cost at least a first-round pick and then some, which would complicate any plans Chicago might have to go after a high-end defensive tackle in Round 1 of next year’s draft.
Crosby also recently signed a $106 million extension that runs through 2029, when he will play at 32 years old, which is another factor Chicago would have to consider.
Bears Re-Emerge as Trade Suitors for $106 Million Pass-Rusher After Vita Vea News