The Chicago Bears, now 4-4, are approaching the trade deadline in just 24 hours. A few weeks ago, many believed the Bears would be buyers at this point. However, the NFL is unpredictable, and since their bye week, the Bears have struggled to match their once promising momentum. They had a three-game winning streak that raised morale, even though the wins were against weaker teams. But following a heartbreaking loss to the Commanders and a blowout by the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, the Bears momentum has taken a serious hit. Once expected to be buyers and add talent at the deadline, the Bears may now be better off selling assets they don’t plan to retain.
One name in focus is star veteran WR Keenan Allen. The Bears acquired Allen in the offseason for just a fourth-round pick, a move praised around the league. However, only eight games in, the trade hasn’t met expectations, and the “gamble” has been a disappointment so far.
Father time looks to be catching up to Keenan Allen.
The Bears chose not to pursue an extension with Keenan Allen after the trade acquisition. When they acquired Montez Sweat, a new deal was immediately reached, which made sense given their different stages in their careers. So far, Allen’s performance halfway through the season hasn’t provided the Bears with a strong reason to change that stance and bring him back for 2025. He’s missed two games already, recorded just 21 receptions for only 197 yards (ranking 126th in the NFL), and scored 2 touchdowns—both of which came in one game against the Jaguars.
The Bears will likely let Allen walk in free agency, so it could be wise to explore trading him at the deadline. Another team might be desperate enough to offer a draft pick, and with rookie Rome Odunze showing improvement each week, it could be better to give him more opportunities rather than forcing targets to Allen, which offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has done in stretches this season.
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Additionally, Cole Kmet has seen only one target in the two games since the bye week, which raises more concerns about underutilizing him. Shifting some of Allen’s targets to Kmet could better involve him in the offense. The decision is straightforward: either keep Allen, reducing opportunities for Rome, DJ Moore, and Kmet, only to let him leave in free agency, or GM Ryan Poles can leverage potential trade-deadline desperation to get value in return.
The Bears also have other tradeable assets, like RB Khalil Herbert, who currently sits third on the depth chart. With the Bears likely considering themselves sellers at the deadline, they should aim to add more picks to an already strong 2025 draft arsenal, which will likely focus heavily on strengthening both offensive and defensive lines.
