Bears' Top Trade Candidates Ahead of 2023 Training Camp
With every move the Chicago Bears make right now, they need to have the long-term picture in mind. They're coming off a 2022 season in which they went an NFL-worst 3-14, and it could take multiple years before they're a legitimate playoff contender again.
The Bears have been smart so far this offseason, such as when they traded down from the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. That allowed them to acquire additional draft capital, which they used to fill more of the holes on their roster.
Even though training camp begins later this month, Chicago still has time to make additional moves. It may not make any huge free-agent signings, but it could potentially explore the trade market and pursue deals that set it up even better for the future.
Here's a look at several Bears players who could be viewed as potential trade candidates.
Velus Jones Jr., WR
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Chicago selected Velus Jones Jr. in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft. However, he didn't make much of an impact during his rookie season as he had 210 yards (107 receiving, 103 rushing) and two touchdowns in 12 games.
Since then, the Bears' receiving corps has gotten deeper. They acquired DJ Moore in a trade with the Carolina Panthers and selected Tyler Scott in the fourth round of the 2023 draft. It may become tougher for Jones to get time on the field as a result.
Jones has a lot of potential upside, but he's also already 26. He doesn't have quite as much of a long-term future as some of the other receivers deeper on Chicago's depth chart.
So the Bears may want to consider flipping Jones for a draft pick, especially because it's not even a guarantee he'll earn a spot on their roster in training camp. If he's not likely to make the team, then a deal would make more sense.
Cody Whitehair, OL
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Cody Whitehair is entering training camp as the favorite to be Chicago's starting center. But the 30-year-old is also heading into the 2023 season with the fourth-highest cap hit of any player on the team's roster ($14.1 million). Although $8.3 million of that is dead cap, the Bears could still clear some space by moving Whitehair.
That would especially help for the 2024 season, when Whitehair will have a $13.25 million cap hit, only $4.1 million of which will be dead cap. Is it worth it for Chicago to pay that to him?
Whitehair has made 107 starts over his seven-year NFL career, all of which has been spent with the Bears. But they also have Lucas Patrick, a 29-year-old who played only seven games (with five starts) during his first year in Chicago in 2022.
If Patrick can stay healthy and proves he can be a solid starting center, the Bears may be better off by exploring a trade for Whitehair. It would save them some money without too much of a potential dropoff on the interior of their offensive line.
Trevis Gipson, DE
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Trevis Gipson took a bit of a step back during the 2022 season. After he recorded seven sacks over 16 games in 2021, he notched only three while playing all 17 games for the Bears last year. It wasn't the direction Chicago wanted to see him go.
Even though Gipson's value may not be at its highest at this point, the Bears may want to consider dealing him to open up playing time for some of their younger, less experienced edge rushers. And they could probably still get a decent return, considering Gipson has at least a bit of a track record.
Chicago still needs to get better on the defensive line. Moving on from Gipson may not necessarily help it do that in the immediate future.
Again, though, the Bears must keep the big picture in mind. Because of that, a Gipson trade is at least something to consider, especially if there's a team quite interested in him.
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