Bears position in Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson sweepstakes bodes well for future

The Chicago Bears appear to have a realistic shot at landing either Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson in a trade, which is great news for their future. 

With the Mitchell Trubisky era almost surely over with the Chicago Bears, they were always going to be in the mix for any quarterback that could potentially be made available in the 2021 offseason. But after missing on Matthew Stafford and Carson Wentz, it appears as if they may be in line to possibly hit a home run with either Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson.

Watson and Wilson are undoubtedly the two biggest names that could be available on the NFL trade market this offseason and it appears as if the Bears could be in the driver’s seat in both markets, meaning they might be able to have their pick.

In regards to the Texans quarterback, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported on NFL Live that Chicago has offered a substantial package to Houston for Watson. He noted that it would be “hard to imagine” any other team matching what the Bears have offered for the quarterback. The Texans front office has remained steadfast that they don’t want to trade Watson but it continues to look as if they may not have a choice.

As for Wilson and the Seahawks, with reports that the franchise is listening to calls about trading quarterback, Chicago was among the list of preferred landing spots for the former third-round pick. More importantly, though, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Bears situation intrigues the quarterback because of the improving offensive line, the weapons and the defense.

Neither of these reports guarantees that the Texans or Seahawks would make a deal to send their quarterbacks to the Windy City. But given that general manager Ryan Pace’s job might be on the line in Chicago, it stands to reason that they will remain extremely aggressive in trying to land one of the biggest fish in the pond.

Either Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson would make the Bears immediate Super Bowl contenders.

It’s been a frustrating few years in Chicago because of the roster that was constructed around Trubisky and then with Nick Foles in the mix as well. They have consistently been part of the playoff mix but their quarterback play has held them back. Hence why Pace has been so gung-ho in trying to make a big splash at the position this offseason.

Being able to add either Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson would represent a seismic shift for the Bears, though. It would take the one position that has legitimately been lowering their ceiling over the past four seasons and make it a bonafide strength. You can’t overstate the impact of going from Trubisky, a player who is likely not one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the league, to a top-five player at the position, which both Watson and Wilson are.

Though there are still other weaknesses on the Bears roster that need to be addressed, namely at offensive tackle, wide receiver and possibly at cornerback, quarterback is the most important position on the field. With top-tier player under center, many deficiencies can ultimately be masked. Heck, just look at how that’s been the case in Houston and Seattle with these two players for evidence of that exact premise.

Trading for either Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson would cost the Bears an immense amount of draft capital, without question. Having said that, for a team with a roster that has been able to overcome subpar quarterback play to get into the playoffs in recent years, Chicago should be willing to sell the farm if they have a realistic shot at landing either player.