Sporting a respectable 5-3 record and armed with rising young talent, the Chicago Bears seemed to have the pieces to make a major move heading into this week's trade deadline. Instead, they traded for a high-upside defensive end who may not even start, ex-Cleveland Browns edge Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, plus one future seventh-round draft pick.
MORE: Chicago Bears acquiring Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in trade with Cleveland Browns
So what the heck happened?
In a new mailbag piece, Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune wonders why Bears general manager Ryan Poles opted not to go a bit more all-in with a deal. The NFC North crown is very much in Chicago's sights (the current top seed is the 5-2-1 Green Bay Packers). But the Bears need more talent around rising quarterback Caleb Williams. And they don't have it. Yet.
Biggs ultimately posits that the type of quality, win-now veteran piece the Bears could have used just might not have been available at this week's trade deadline, and suggests that it may have behooved Poles to hold on to his 2026 and '27 draft assets instead.
How close are the Bears to truly contending?
Biggs observes that the Bears' impressive current record belies the team's actual present upside, and that patiently adding young depth through the next couple drafts may just be the more prudent approach to maximize their window with Williams, Rome Odunze and co.
When it comes to the particular long-term positions of need for Chicago, Biggs notes that the club needs major defensive help — specifically and left tackle, defensive tackle, defensive end, safety and cornerback.
Instead, Biggs observes that Tryon-Shoyinka helps Chicago shore up its defense marginally following a season-ending Achilles injury to Dayo Odeyingbo.
"It would have been shortsighted to go all-in this season when the Bears are just starting out with Johnson, taking the first steps toward what the organization hopes will be sustained success," Biggs writes. "That has to be the goal. Not a dice roll that one guy helps them get hot in January but creates a situation where they’re scrambling to fill pressing needs come March and April."
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