Chicago Bears: Standing pat on trade deadline only has one surprise

There was only one surprise with the Chicago Bears not making any trades at the NFL trade deadline.

The NFL trade deadline came and went on November 2nd with the Chicago Bears standing pat. There were rumors of trades. Instead, the only moves they made were to sign defensive tackle LaCale London to the practice squad and release offensive lineman Dareuan Parker to make room.

The NFL trade deadline is not like the one in Major League Baseball. Teams that aren’t in contention routinely trade players that playoff-contending teams desire. We saw what happened with the Chicago Cubs. They basically sold off their best assets for prospects in return. In the NFL, things are different. Teams usually keep their players.

The Bears had several players who could have been good pickups for playoff contenders. They had wide receiver Allen Robinson, who had consecutive 1,000-receiving yard seasons. This season, however, he isn’t anywhere close to achieving that mark again.

Chicago Bears: Standing pat on trade deadline only has one surprise

He is on pace to have 576 yards for the season. He and starting quarterback Justin Fields haven’t built the chemistry needed to succeed. Darnell Mooney has been the go-to man for Fields.

Since Robinson is playing on the franchise tag he likely leaves Chicago via free agency. Many people speculated that the Bears would trade him before that happened so they receive something in return.

Here’s the thing, though. By keeping Robinson and letting him leave in the offseason, the Bears receive a compensatory draft pick. Their pick for Robinson would likely be a third-round selection. Because of that, the Bears would need multiple picks or a second-round pick for the trade to make sense. If a team wanted Robinson, waiting for the offseason and signing him to a multi-year deal is better than giving up draft picks and then possibly losing him later.

Then there is the case for defensive end Akiem Hicks. He is in the final year of his contract. It doesn’t appear that he’ll be in the Bears’ plans. He has a $12 million salary, however, and is still owed $6.3 million. Additionally, he’s had injury issues. Teams would want to wait in the offseason to see if he is healthy enough to pay him another contract.

There were also rumors of the Bears possibly parting ways with running back David Montgomery. The Bears have rookie Khalil Herbert who is playing well in Montgomery’s absence. However, having Herber and Montgomery play as a two-headed monster. It’ll be more interesting to see this duo in action and see how much better the running game becomes with them working together.

There was one surprise

One thing was a surprise, however. The Bears did not trade quarterback Nick Foles. Foles is the third-string quarterback and has not seen any action this season. There is no point in keeping Foles at this point.

There were a number of quarterback injuries in the league. Having a capable backup is essential for a team. There are quite a few inexperienced backups around the league and Foles stepped up to help his team (the Philadelphia Eagles 2017) win a Super Bowl. He is also a Super Bowl MVP.

There could have been a few teams looking for someone like Foles. Nothing happened, however, and he now finishes out the season in Chicago.

While the fans may be upset that the Chicago Bears did nothing at the trade deadline, it wasn’t surprising and was probably a good thing. They still have those players who can help turn things around. While that sounds ridiculous, remember, they lost six consecutive games last season and still made the playoffs.

The Bears still might not make the playoffs, but if they see some improvement that helps Fields that would be great. His development is of paramount importance. Let’s say he and Robinson end up finding that chemistry. How great would it be if FIelds has Mooney and Robinson as his top receivers?

Yes, it may be a pipe dream, but the Bears have a chance to find out. If it doesn’t work out, though, it’s okay since they’ll get a draft pick. Not making a move at the trade deadline is a good thing, whether people liked it or not.