Bears and Steelers Considered Ideal Trade Partners as Concern For Chicago's Defense Mounts

The Chicago Bears rolled into Carolina and dropped 59 points on the Panthers in Week 1, but they needed almost every one of them after Dennis Allen's defense struggled.

No knock on the Panthers, but there is no world in which Chicago should be giving up that many points in a game. It doesn't matter how great the Bears' offense is, the team can't hope to get far if the defense doesn't hold up its end of the bargain.

That's why the Bears need to continue to explore adding more help on defense, and more specifically, at cornerback, where Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson were two of the big culprits in the lackluster effort from Chicago's defense.

We're not concerned about Johnson yet given his overall track record, but we are incredibly concerned with Stevenson, who remains a total question mark going into Week 2 after his inconsistent play throughout his career.

Maybe Malik Muhammad ends up being the solution there, but until Kyler Gordon gets back, whenever that may be, the Bears need the rookie to play in the slot, where he was excellent in Chicago's season-opener.

Bears and Steelers named possible trade partners

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) reacts after a play during the second half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In an article naming six possible landing spots for Joey Porter Jr., Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport listed the Chicago Bears as a potential suitor for a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Davenport notes how the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs doesn't see the Bears giving up the kind of draft capital it would take to acquire Porter, but Davenport believes it's possible if the secondary continues to play the way it did in Week 1.

"Biggs is spot-on that the Bears have issues up front. But the issues at cornerback appear to be every bit as pressing. Winning shootouts every week is a recipe to make the postseason and then get bounced when the level of competition goes up," Davenport explained.

"And if Chicago gets cooked again this week by Carson Wentz and the Vikings, general manager Ryan Poles needs to pick up the phone and call Omar Khan," Davenport added.

It is believed that Porter could cost as much as a first-round pick, but we're skeptical that's the case because not only does a team have to trade for Porter, it also has to extend him on a lucrative contract that could approach $30 million per year.

We tend to believe a second-round pick and maybe a later pick will be the most the Steelers will get in a trade, which has been floated as a real possibility by ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport.

"Sources said Porter, who had previously requested a trade from the Steelers, is open to playing elsewhere, and an early-season trade is possible," the NFL insiders wrote on Sunday.

"The Steelers have been open to listening to offers for Porter, sources said," they added. "But there has not been notable interest at Pittsburgh's asking price of a premium draft pick, possibly in the first round, and no serious trade talks have developed despite the Steelers' willingness to deal him."

Is a Bears-Steelers trade for Porter possible?

Biggs noted in his article that the Bears can find a way to make it work with the cap, but he's hesitant to believe Chicago would actually part with the significant draft capital.

We tend to be on that side of the fence, also, but the Bears have to seriously consider a Porter trade if things don't improve on defense, and especially in the secondary.

And that's doubly true if Caleb Williams continues to look like he's going to take the massive leap forward he appeared to be capable of doing in Week 1, when he was outstanding against Carolina.

Chicago simply can't let a Year 3 leap by Williams go to waste by allowing the defense to wreck it. If Williams cements himself as a top-notch signal-caller, that will put the Bears in the Super Bowl conversation, in which case any and all moves should be on the table, including a blockbuster trade for Porter.

Add us as a preferred source on Google