Bear Digest

Bears Linked to Chase Young Interest

The Bears continue to flounder at rushing the passer and rumors linking them to interest in Chase Young at the trade deadline only make sense.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears Linked to Chase Young Interest
Bears Linked to Chase Young Interest

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Chicago Bears

The rumor mill churned late into Saturday night with the trade deadline fast approaching and one sketchy result produced was Bears interest in Chase Young.

The former teammate of Justin Fields is likely to be the source of plenty of trade interest but this was Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio stating a source told him that there are rumors the Bears have interest in Young.

So it's a report of an unnamed source saying they had heard there are rumors ... OK.

Washington has been widely reported to be fielding offers for Young, a former teammate of Justin Fields at Ohio State, and defensive end Montez Sweat because they can't afford to pay both. These types of reports have been going on since free agency of 2023 and later.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported the Commanders are seeking a second round pick for Chase Young or Montez Sweat.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that teams called the Commanders to inquire about trading for defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, as well, but they are unwilling to trade him.

Sweat has 34 1/2 sacks in four-plus seasons and Young 14 in three-plus seasons. Young was 2020 defensive rookie of the year after making 7 1/2 sacks and four forced fumbles and 10 tackles for loss, but in 2021 suffered a grade 3 right ACL tear that required a surgery grafting his left patellar tendon for use in repairing his torn ACL.

Young tried to come back late in 2022 with no sacks or tackles for loss in three games, but this year is looking more like as a rookie with five sacks, six tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits. He also has 18 pressures, according to Sportradar. He had half a sack and three QB hits against Fields in the Bears' 40-20 win over the Commanders.

Young is 24, but trading for him would mean giving him a new, far more expensive contract.

It wouldn't be out of character for Bears GM Ryan Poles to make a midseason trade as he did it last year, although it was easily one of the biggest mistakes he made since coming to the Bears to trade away the first pick of Round 2 for Chase Claypool.

Still, you don't quit trying to ride a bike when you fall off or crash the first time.

It will be interesting to see how Young or Montez Sweat are used in Sunday's Commanders game with the Eagles, considering there is so many rumors swirling around them.

As shaky as the grounds for reporting this rumor might seem, the Bears should have an interest in any edge rusher with talent or a defensive tackle who can also rush the passer.

An edge rusher chosen early in the draft costs much less. Then again, you never know what you're getting. 

Tyree Wilson and Will Anderson were widely considered the top players in last year's draft as edge rushers and each one has one sack. Wilson is graded by Pro Football Focus as 105th out of 109 edge players this season.

There's little doubt Young could immediately improve the Bears pass rush.  They are next to last in sacks with 10 after finishing last with 20 last year. Coach Matt Eberflus has had to resort to blitzing more to get heat on QBs, and this is totally against the style of defense he'd like to play.

The Bears signed Yannick Ngakoue this year for $10.5 million on a one-year deal and he has two sacks. The other defensive end they signed, DeMarcus Walker, came to Chicago on a three-year, $21 million deal and has 1 1/2 sacks.

Second-year defensive end Dominique Robinson has half a sack and is graded 108th out of 109 edge players in the NFL this year by PFF. Free agent acquisition Rasheem Green one sack.

On Saturday, they activated another edge rusher from injured reserve, former Colts and Bengals player Khalid Kareem.

As with any trade, the compensation required is key. The Bears have two first-round picks, a second-rounder, a third-rounder, two fourth-rounders and a fifth-rounder in the 2024 draft.

With quarterback still an issue and several other possible pressing needs besides edge rusher—like wide receiver and center—it seems unlikely the Bears would want to part with either first-round pick for someone with a past involving a severe knee injury.

If the compensation is less, then such a move could make sense, especially if they don't see an edge rusher they have rated particularly high in the draft or want to use the picks for another position.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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