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The Chicago Bears kick off Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season on Sunday, September 10, against their NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers. As the team’s roster starts to come together just over two weeks before the season, there are still moves general manager Ryan Poles can make to improve the squad. With that in mind, here is the last-minute deal the Bears must make before Week 1: A Jonathan Taylor trade.
The Bears must make a Jonathan Taylor trade ahead of Week 1
Chicago is a rebuilding team, no doubt about it. But in Year 3 of the Justin Fields Era, it’s time to start transitioning from rebuilding to winning, and the 2023 NFL season is the time to do that.
The Bears were able to straddle the line between rebuilding and winning now this offseason by trading the No. 1 pick in the draft to the Carolina Panthers. They got extra picks as well as veteran Pro Bowl wide receiver DJ Moore.
Now, it’s time to go all-in on winning, especially since this could be a down year in the NFC and NFC North. The Packers could be bad, the Minnesota Vikings could regress, and the Detroit Lions need to prove it again this year if they truly are back.
As for the rest of the NFC, outside of the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers does any other squad truly scare you?
This all gives the Bears a window to succeed this season, and upgrading the offense is a way to do just that. A Jonathan Taylor trade is available for the right price — both financially and in terms of draft picks — and Ryan Poles has the capital to get it done.
Chicago has the Panthers first-round pick and the Eagles’, too, after the NFC East team went up one spot to get Jalen Carter in this year. They also have all their own picks, except for their seventh-rounder.
The Bears also have a ton of cap room in 2024 and beyond. In 2024, only the New England Patriots have more uncommitted salary cap dollars.
All this means Poles can give up a first-round pick to the Colts if that is what it takes to make a Jonathan Taylor trade, and he can dole out a big new contract for the RB without hurting the team long-term.
Why would he do that? Because Taylor was the best RB in the NFL just two seasons ago and is still only 24. And not only would Taylor be a massive upgrade over Khalil Herbert and D'Onta Foreman, but Taylor and Fields would create one of (if not) the most dangerous rushing attacks in the NFL.
That would create much more space and opportunities for the team’s pass catchers, like DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool (if he ever gets healthy), Velus Jones Jr., and Cole Kmet. And it would help offensive coordinator Luke Getsy control the clock and keep the defense rested on the sidelines, which a defensive coach like Matt Eberflus will love.
Yes, the Bears making a trade for Taylor this season is a big, risky swing for the fences. However, Chicago is in a unique position to do this, and it could vault them into playoff contention in the 2023 NFL season. That is a great reason to make this happen, and if they don't do it now, it makes the future that much more uncertain.
