Did Bears' GM Ryan Poles blow it at the NFL trade deadline?

The 2025 NFL trade deadline has come and gone with a lot of noise, but curiously absent from any of the day's major trades were the Chicago Bears. Despite rumors from an NFL insider as the trade deadline neared, the Bears did not make any aggressive moves on Tuesday. Their sole trade of the day was sending a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft to Cleveland in exchange for a seventh-round pick and backup defensive end Joe Tyron-Shoyinka.

After losing Dayo Odeyingbo for the year to a torn Achilles, it made sense that the Bears would try to add someone at the deadline to bolster a depleted defensive line. However, some Bears fans likely expected a trade with a bit more heft to it, perhaps for a star like Trey Hendrickson or a strong starter like Jermaine Johnson II. Someone who could move the needle and push the Bears firmly into playoff contention.

In the end, Bears general manager Ryan Poles added only a backup who might be good for a handful of snaps this year, a typical Bears low-risk, low-reward trade. With the Bears sitting at 5-3 and on the cusp of a playoff spot, did Ryan Poles totally blow it?

Sources: The #Bears and #49ers were among the teams that tried to trade for #Jets pass-rusher Jermaine Johnson II.

New York wanted a 2nd-round pick, so Chicago pivoted to Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, while San Francisco ultimately stayed put. A move to the 49ers would’ve reunited Johnson… https://t.co/L2Tl5t3Mcb pic.twitter.com/67z3E6gHM6
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 5, 2025

Not necessarily. The Bears did in fact make an offer for Johnson, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, but the Jets stood firm on their asking price of a second-round pick. That's a bit rich for a player like Johnson, and it's probably for the best that Poles didn't make this deal. Johnson suffered a major, season-ending injury in 2024 and he still doesn't seem to be in tip-top shape. He's recorded just one sack in five games this year.

But what about a blockbuster trade? The Jets traded Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and a depth player. Williams is a three-time Pro Bowler and exactly what the Bears need for their D-line. But Chicago is not in a position to make a big move like that. Yes, they're 5-3 and likely to get to 6-3 this week, but their thrilling Week 9 win over the Bengals exposed plenty of flaws to this Bears team. Even if they make the playoffs, they're not cutout yet for a deep run.

Ryan Poles was smart to stand pat

At the end of the day, a blockbuster trade was likely to blow up in Chicago's face. The Bears are definitely an improved football team, but being improved from 5-12 doesn't necessarily mean they're ready to compete with the NFL's best. And besides, fans should be excited for Austin Booker's return to the Bears' defense. He looked good in Week 9 and may very well be the answer to Chicago's pass rush problem.

The Bears are still at least one year away from being a serious contender in the NFC and they're likely going to need their first and second-round picks in 2026. It may make for some bad football over the second half of the 2025 season, but Poles is getting paid to keep the big picture in mind, and that's exactly what he did on Tuesday.

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Ryan Poles was smart to stand pat

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