Speculation continues that the Chicago Bears could potentially acquire another defensive lineman before the 2026 NFL trade deadline in roughly three weeks — which makes the latest rumors about a 2025 first-round pick all the more intriguing.
The Bears have touted a much-improved defensive front through the first six games of the 2026 season, sitting sixth in pressure rate (39.5%) and tied for fifth in total sacks (17) heading into Thursday Night Football against the New England Patriots in Week 7.
That said, the Bears won’t have veteran defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo available for at least the next three games after placing him on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury last week, leaving them shorthanded amid a strong 4-2 start to the campaign.
With contention possible, the Bears could swing a trade before the November 10 trade deadline and acquire a proven veteran — such as Khalil Mack — as a short-term rental.
If sustained success through the seasons remains the goal, though, they could instead take advantage of a “surprise” name on the trade market and invest in an edge rusher with significantly more long-term upside for their defensive line: Shemar Stewart.
The trade pitch: The Bears send a conditional 2028 fourth-round pick (which upgrades to a third-rounder if Stewart plays a set number of snaps) to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for Stewart and the rest of his $18.9 million rookie contract.
Shemar Stewart Trade Rumors Brewing for Bengals
Stewart has gone from big gamble to barely playing for the Bengals in the 18 months since they took him with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
After an offseason rookie contract dispute, Stewart played just 280 defensive snaps over eight games in 2025 because of injuries, finishing with just one sack. One year later, he is buried on Cincinnati’s depth chart and scarcely contributing to the rotation.
Even so, Stewart impressed teams before the draft with his explosiveness, length and untapped potential as a pass rusher, raising questions about whether the disorganized Bengals are to blame for his lack of production and if he might succeed elsewhere.
“One surprise name a few teams are tracking is Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Shemar Stewart,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote Wednesday, October 21. “The 2025 first-round pick is not a factor in the team’s rotation right now. He has played 17 defensive snaps, well behind the total for the fourth defensive end, Cedric Johnson (83). And rookie second-rounder Cashius Howell has been impressive.
“Cincinnati typically doesn’t move its young draft picks, but it would be surprising if the Bengals haven’t received inquiries on Stewart, whose upside remains high.”
Bears Trade for Shemar Stewart Might Not Cost Much
The Bears might prefer taking a risk on a surer thing if they acquire a defensive lineman before the NFL trade deadline, but Stewart could appeal to them if the Bengals are looking to move on — both for reasons of vast upside and predictably lower trade cost.
The upside is apparent. While Stewart’s vanishing act on the Bengals’ depth chart could present as a red flag, the Bears hosted him for a top-30 visit during the 2025 pre-draft process and may have a stronger vision for how he fits in Dennis Allen’s system.
After all, Stewart was known more for his enticing blend of size, length and athleticism than his production at the college level (11 sacks in 31 career games). His lack of production in the NFL could also persuade the Bengals to part with him for a lower value, especially since they have enough talent up front to offload him without strain.
The Bengals would still have to decide to move on from Stewart less than two years after investing a top-20 pick into him — which Fowler acknowledged in reporting on the interest. But if they reach that point before November 10, the Bears could potentially pry him loose for the relatively low cost of a conditional Day 3 pick in 2028.
Bears Trade Pitch Lands $18.9 Million Edge Rusher to Replace Dayo Odeyingbo