The Chicago Bears enter the 2025 offseason with over $60 million in cap space and plenty of cap casualties with a month to go before free agency. The Bears have an opportunity to act aggressively in Ben Johnson’s first season as the head coach.
Chicago’s top needs are on the offensive and defensive lines.
One pass rusher could be in the trade market ahead of the 2025 draft. Former No. 1 pick, Myles Garrett, requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns. The Browns say they have no plans to trade the six-time All-Pro, but that could change before April.
Chicago Bears named a top candidate for Myles Garrett
Bill Barnwell of ESPN published an article on which teams could realistically trade for Garrett. Barnwell named three teams that would be the top trade partners for the Browns: The Indianapolis Colts, Washington Commanders, and Bears.
Barnwell thinks the Bears could convince Garrett they’re a realistic contender with Johnson. Garrett would improve Chicago’s pass rush immediately.
“General manager Ryan Poles already made a move to upgrade his pass rush at the 2023 trade deadline by sending a second-round pick to the Commanders for Montez Sweat, who then signed a four-year, $98 million deal.,” Barnwell wrote. The logic underpinning that deal hasn’t held up. Sweat is a good player, but his 12.5-sack season in 2023 is an outlier. He had 5.5 sacks as Chicago’s lead rusher in 2024.
“That’s not the sort of production that is acceptable from a player making nearly $25 million per season, which is elite edge rusher money. The pick the Bears sent to the Commanders was eventually sent to the Eagles, who found a useful player they’ll have at a bargain rate for four years: Cooper DeJean, last seen taking a Mahomes pick-six to the house in the Super Bowl. The Sweat deal is what it is, but the Bears should be done adding defenders.”
Garrett would not be cheap
Barnwell thinks a trade for Garrett would cost at least two first-round picks. The price is significant, and would only make sense if Johnson thinks he can do more with less on offense.
“With $65 million in cap space, they could afford to add Garrett and still have the ability to address their offensive line in free agency,” Barnwell wrote. “With an extra second-round pick still coming from the 2023 trade with the Panthers, they have extra capital if they did decide to make an offer for Garrett. If they believe Johnson can help bring along cost-controlled talent on offense, focusing their spending on the defense would make sense.”
Garrett would make new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s life easier. He’d also improve the Bears’ secondary, which general manager Ryan Poles has heavily invested in.
At 29, Garrett has recorded 352 tackles, 102.5 sacks, and 20 forced fumbles during his time with the Browns.
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