The Chicago Bears, after a rough start to the Ben Johnson era, have built up a good amount of momentum with back-to-back wins, one a blowout and the other a gutsy, gritty victory. Now the Bears can lean on their bye week benefits, which gives them the chance to evaluate where they stand and what changes need to happen after their week off.
One major change in the starting lineup is already on deck, with Theo Benedet expected to replace the struggling Braxton Jones at left tackle for Week 6. But there are other changes the Bears should be considering, including potential trades. One such situation is the wide receiver room, where the Bears seem to have an overabundance of talent.
Second-year receiver Rome Odunze has likely already surpassed DJ Moore as the WR1 in Chicago, just by looking at how many more targets he receives. Then there’s Olamide Zaccheaus, who (somewhat shockingly) has more targets than Moore, and the rookie Luther Burden III, who flashed his elite potential in the same role Moore plays during their Week 3 dominant win over the Dallas Cowboys. And this doesn’t even account for the vast potential of rookie tight end Colston Loveland, once healthy.Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Meanwhile, the Bears are struggling mightily in other areas, most notably in stopping the run. They are giving up an NFL-high 164.5 rushing yards per game. Only one game out of four thus far has been a blowout loss, so this number can’t be excused as opposing teams running out the clock in garbage time. The startling fact is that, even with the return of Andrew Billings, the Bears cannot stop the run.
There is an easy solution here for the Bears to address their excess of receivers and shortage of run stuffers: trading DJ Moore to the New York Jets in return for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
This is a win-win for both teams. Aside from Garrett Wilson, the Jets simply do not have a competent pass catcher on their roster, which is largely to blame for their bottom-five passing offense. By adding Moore, not only would the Jets have arguably the best 1-2 punch in the AFC East, but you would be giving Justin Fields another receiver with whom he has previous chemistry. Both players put up career high stats during their one season together in Chicago (2023).
As for the Bears, they would get an immediate boost to their defensive line. Quinnen Williams currently has an 87.2 PFF grade, fourth-best for all defensive tackles, and that includes an elite 92.3 grade against the run. He also has 13 pressures, 2 forced fumbles, and 15 defensive stops, all of which are no lower than seventh-best for his position. This kind of production up the middle would do a world of good for the defensive ends, too.
Their age and contracts are roughly equal, as well, making this trade a fairly even one across the board. The Jets would get a gigantic boost to their passing game, which would in turn help their running game, and the Bears might finally stop opposing offenses from running it down their throats and wearing out their defense. A win-win trade is rare these days, but this might just be one such scenario.
