Chase Young is reportedly linked to the Bears for a potential trade, according to a report from Mike Florio.
In his report, Florio said the move for Young would be a long-term play. Young will become a free agent after this season, in need of a major payday.
For a second straight season, the Bears are projected to have the most cap space in the league during the offseason. Spotrac projects the Bears to lead the NFL with around $96 million in cap space. There’s no question the Bears could afford to take on a long-term Young contract if they desired.
Florio indicated the more likely outcome for the Commanders at the trade deadline is to trade Montez Sweat, another edge rusher. But, if the Bears could pull off a trade for Young, they would drastically improve their paltry defensive line.
Last season, the Bears recorded the fewest sacks in the NFL, notching a lowly 20 sacks. This season, the Bears have the second-fewest sacks in the league with 10. They have one more than the last-place Texans.
The Bears’ failure to create pressure against their opposing quarterbacks has weighed on their defense. Currently, they allowed 26.9 points per game through seven weeks — that’s good for 28th in the league.
Young was the 2020 winner of the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. A knee injury in 2021 derailed his career, leaving him to play 12 games between 2021-22. But he’s slowly climbing back into his elite form.
This season, Young has six games under his belt. He’s quickly tacked on five sacks to his stat sheet while recording 14 tackles — six for a loss of yardage. Should the Bears notch Young, they would dramatically improve their defense and give Yannick Ngakoue space to work on the opposite side.
Can Ryan Poles and the Bears pull off a blockbuster trade to acquire the Commanders’ star edge rusher? The trade deadline ends on Tuesday.
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