Finding a dominant pass-rusher to pair opposite Montez Sweat along the Chicago Bears’ front seven remains a priority for general manager Ryan Poles.
One of the reasons the Bears aggressively traded a second-round pick to Washington in exchange for Sweat at the trade deadline was because this isn’t the deepest of draft classes at the position.
While it’s always possible the Bears could invest the No. 9 overall selection in a top pass-rusher such as Alabama’s Dallas Turner or Penn State’s Chop Robinson, there’s an argument to be made that Poles would be wiser to select an offensive tackle such as Olu Fashanu or the top remaining wide receiver to round out Caleb Williams’ receiving corps that already consists of playmakers Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore.
If the Bears go in a different direction with their second top-10 selection, there’s still a way for the Bears to emerge from the draft with a productive pass-rusher.
Chicago Bears Should Trade for Matthew Judon
Judon fits the profile of the kind of player who the Patriots should be trading.
At age 31, and coming off a biceps injury as the final year of his contract looms, the Patriots could look to flip the veteran pass-rusher to add assets to assist in a long-term rebuild.
Meanwhile, with 66.5 career sacks and just one year removed from posting 15.5 sacks during a stellar 2022 season, Judon is exactly the caliber of pass-rusher who can give the Bears’ pass-rush some serious teeth.
What a Matthew Judon Trade Might Look Like
If New England takes the likes of Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy with the No. 3 overall pick, it would seem unlikely that Jerod Mayo’s team would have designs on competing in 2024 and might be open to the idea of trading Matthew Judon to acquire draft capital in 2025.
The Bears have additional draft capital next year, thanks to the Carolina Panthers’ second-round selection that was part of the package Carolina sent to move up to No. 1 overall in 2023, which could make it palatable for Poles to ship a future asset to New England in exchange for Judon.
Here’s what a potential Matthew Judon swap might look like:
Chicago Bears Trade: 2024 5th Round Pick (No. 143), 2025 4th Round Pick
New England Patriots Trade: Matthew Judon, 2024 5th Round Pick (No. 137)
Chicago moves up seven spots in a late-round pick-swap, while the Patriots net out an additional draft pick in 2025 to continue building around their selected quarterback or to use for ammunition ahead of this fall’s trade deadline.
This is also the type of trade that these two teams could agree on shortly after the Bears’ selection at No. 9, if it becomes clear that Chicago isn’t targeting one of the top pass rush prospects in this year’s class.
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2 Comments
The Bears don’t have a fifth round pick until 24
This is 24? Do you mean 25?