The Chicago Bears could use another defensive player or two for reinforcements ahead of the stretch run, and while most of the focus has been on the deficiencies across the defensive line, one more cornerback wouldn’t hurt.
Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron suggested a trade proposal on Friday, October 23, in which the Bears send a fifth-round pick next year and a fourth-rounder in 2028 to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for fifth-year defensive back Tariq Woolen.
“Given the fact that Woolen is only a one-year rental, it would be surprising to see him cost more than a Day 3 draft pick,” Infante wrote. “With a 73.5 PFN CB Impact grade that ranks No. 62 among 102 qualified cornerbacks, he certainly hasn’t been a standout starter this year, but he’s certainly been better than Tyrique Stevenson and Jaylon Johnson, who rank No. 95 and No. 102 in the metric, respectively. It could be worth giving up a Day 3 selection for an upgrade at cornerback for the second half of the season.”
Eagles Struggling, Bears Should Hold Off on Tariq Woolen Trade Offer for 1-2 Weeks in Search of Better Deal
Woolen is playing on a one-year deal in Philly worth $12 million in total and has a base salary of just $1.26 million, which means he would be an inexpensive add to the Bears’ roster with regards to the 2027 salary cap.
Tossing in an extra fourth-round asset two years down the road, as Infante suggested, is perhaps an overpay for a player on a team in Philadelphia that could end up punting on the entire season a couple of weeks from now.
Backup quarterback Tanner McKee waited almost three and a half years for his first real shot as a starter, which the Eagles granted him beginning last week after the team sent Jalen Hurts to the season-ending IR due to the presence of blood clots in his lungs.
Philly’s offensive coaching staff threw McKee into the fire with 45 pass attempts (26 completions) for 215 yards and one TD in an 11-point home loss to the visiting Carolina Panthers.
The Eagles’ offensive line is a mess, running back Saquon Barkley has been hurt on and off all season, AJ Brown is winning with the New England Patriots and the defense hasn’t been as fearsome as most analysts figured it would be heading into the campaign.
If Chicago is willing to wait a couple of weeks, and perhaps watch the Eagles (2-4) go 0-2 against the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders, Philly might be more amenable to dealing Woolen for a single Day 3 selection ahead of the NFL’s November 10 trade deadline.
Tariq Woolen Could Prove Solid Addition to Bears’ Secondary, Won’t Make Defense Elite
Fourth-round rookie Malik Muhammad has shown up for the Bears this season, while Kyler Gordon has been a strong asset over the past two games since his return from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Woolen isn’t a world-beater, and he wont’ transform the backend of Chicago’s defense overnight. However, he would make the group stronger, and obviously deeper, were the Bears to deal for him.
Across six games in 2026, Woolen has tallied 24 combined tackles, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. He is 27 years old and earned Pro Bowl honors as a rookie with the Seattle Seahawks in 2022.
Bears Trade Pitch Flips 2 Picks for $12 Million Pro Bowl CB