Jon Bostic to Patriots: Latest Trade Details, Comments and Reaction

Attention, NFL teams: The Chicago Bears appear to be in the early stages of a fire sale. Act now before it's too late.

According to Field Yates and Jeff Dickerson of ESPN, the Bears traded linebacker Jon Bostic to the New England Patriots on Monday. Bostic passed his physical Tuesday, making the trade official, per the team.

Adam Schefter of ESPN noted Chicago received a sixth-round pick in return. It was the second sixth-round pick the Bears added via trade Monday after they dealt pass-rusher Jared Allen to the Carolina Panthers, which Carolina confirmed pending a physical. 

Chicago is 0-3 after three disastrous weeks to start the season and fresh off a 26-0 beatdown at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. The 2015 campaign appears to already be a lost cause, and these trades could be the early stages of a rebuilding effort under first-year head coach John Fox. 

Along those lines, Spotrac pointed out the Bears cleared $358,254 from their 2015 cap with the Bostic trade and $942,381 from their 2016 cap.

The move did not come as much of a surprise considering Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN reported the Allen deal was the first of "a few trades" the Bears would make as they unload players who "don't fit their scheme from prior regime."

Chicago switched from a 4-3 base defense to a 3-4 under Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, and Bostic (and Allen) apparently didn't fit. Bostic was inactive for Sunday's loss, although he played a combined 29 games the last two seasons after the Bears selected him in the second round of the 2013 draft.

Yates pointed out the Bostic trade means the 50th and 51st picks of that draft have changed teams within a week. (The Oakland Raiders claimed David Amerson off waivers Tuesday after Washington released the cornerback.)

Despite the expectations that accompanied Bostic, he never made a game-changing impact for the Bears defense. Per Pro-Football-Reference.com, he racked up 103 tackles, two sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and four passes defended for Chicago.

Pro Football Focus did not hold back on its criticism of Bostic entering the 2015 season: "Another question mark in their new defense is at inside linebacker, where neither Mason Foster [nor] Jon Bostic, who graded poorly in coverage in 2014, and poorly against the run in 2013, stand out as capable starters."

Perhaps a change of scenery will result in better play from the former Florida Gator. Bill Barnwell of Grantland, however, doesn't see a natural fit:

Though the Patriots are 3-0 and appear to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders once again, their run defense is 24th in the league. The defending champs are likely hoping another linebacker will help shore up a vulnerable unit.

That will only be the case if Bostic plays much better in New England than he did in the Windy City.