4 moves the Bears should absolutely not make ahead of NFL trade deadline

Not every roster move is a good one, and Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles should be careful in his dealmaking.

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At the halfway point of the 2025 NFL season, the Chicago Bears find themselves in a unique position. They are 4-3 with a path to get to 7-3 before they face their next major test, a prime opportunity against the Eagles on Black Friday. However, they've looked shaky over the past month and confidence is waning. In ESPN's evaluation of all 32 teams ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline, the Bears are advised to remain neutral and avoid any major moves. On the other hand, PFF's trade deadline assessment suggests the Bears should both buy and sell.

What course should Bears general manager Ryan Poles take? If they beat the Bengals on Sunday to get to 5-3, I expect Poles will want to make some moves ahead of the Tuesday deadline and there's no shortage of names to be considered. However, he shouldn't make changes just for the sake of change, especially if the roster appears to be clicking.

Here are four players that Bears must absolutely not trade away or acquire.

1. DJ Moore

I've gone back and forth on whether the Bears should deal DJ Moore, who appears to be something of a third wheel in Ben Johnson's offense, but I'm settling on 'no' for now. Yes, he's taking up a lot of cap space and isn't the same difference maker he was in 2023. But this season is so critical for the development of Caleb Williams and the Bears can't afford to mess that up.

If the Bears have too many expensive weapons, that's a tolerable problem for the remainder of the season. I see no need to potentially rip a hole in the offense that ends up being a bigger problem than expected unless a team comes calling with an offer that Poles cannot refuse.

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2. Braxton Jones

Fourth-year offensive tackle Braxton Jones was named a top trade candidate by ESPN last week, and it makes sense. He's effectively lost his starting left tackle job to Theo Benedet and doesn't seem to be playing at the same level he was before his December 2024 injury. But he's an experienced tackle who can provide above-average protection, and the Bears would likely get a decent pick in return.

This is a hard 'no' for me. For one, Jones is currently on IR so his trade value has likely tanked. Second, the Bears are in no position to be dealing away offensive line talent just as this unit has become good. Injuries can still occur or Benedet may regress hard in the coming weeks, and Jones is the only reliable non-starting O-lineman on Chicago's roster.

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3. A splashy defensive lineman

There's been plenty of big defensive lineman names that have been tossed around in recent weeks as potential trade candidates, names like Trey Hendrickson, Maxx Crosby, Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, and more. These are exactly the kind of names that Ryan Poles must ignore at the deadline.

All of these players' teams have already said that they're not interested in trading them anyway, which means any trade offer would have to be astronomical in size, and that's before you even consider the salary cap implications. And besides that, the Bears are not one superstar pass rusher away from the Super Bowl, and making moves like they are would be the height of irresponsibility.

To be clear, I'm not saying the Bears shouldn't add any defensive linemen. I think they should! But if Poles is going to acquire another D-lineman, it should be a rotational piece at best for a moderate price.

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4. Cole Kmet

Though not typically seen as a viable trade candidate by the NFL world, Bears fans have discussed the idea of moving Kmet ever since the Bears drafted tight end Colston Loveland. I get it, Kmet has a huge (for a tight end) contract and isn't exactly stuffing the stat sheet, but trading him at the deadline would still be a big mistake.

Loveland has a long way to go before he can prove that he's a starting tight end in the NFL, for one thing, and he would also benefit from the kind of mentoring that a veteran like Kmet provides. Similar to Moore, even if Kmet doesn't have a well-defined role in Ben Johnson's offense, it's safer and more conducive to Caleb Williams' development to keep him around. You can always consider trades after the season is over.

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More Chicago Bears News:

• Another Caleb Williams dud should be deeply troubling for Bears fans

• Bears' Braxton Jones named top trade candidate by ESPN

• Caleb Williams panic-meter: Concerns rise as bad habits return

• Another top Chicago Bears draft pick already looking like a bust

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