Will the Bears regret not trading a second-round pick for Jermaine Johnson II?

The Bears added a pass-rusher via a late-round pick swap today. They were reportedly close to a much bigger move, though.

East Rutherford, NJ August 26, 2023 -- Jermaine Johnson II of the Jets tackles NY Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the first half. New The NY Jets against the NY Giants on August 26, 2023 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, as the rivals play their final preseason game before the start of the NFL season. | Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Bears were reportedly active on the trade market today. They struck a deal with the Browns to bring former first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shroyinka to the Windy City, but it seems he may have been more of a consolation prize than their preferred target.

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

It's hard to blame the Bears for not wanting to give up a second-round selection for Jermaine Johnson, considering how many assets they have tied up in the defensive line. That's a steep price to pay when they're locked into Dayo Odeyingbo's contract for at least one more season.

At the same time, it's also difficult to fault the Jets for being stern on their second-round asking price. Even amid New York's massive fire sale, they didn't exactly get shafted in terms of draft compensation today. They may have traded their two best defensive players, but they at least netted three first and one second-round pick in the process.

Johnson only has one season in which he had more than two-and-a-half sacks. He only has one sack in five games this year. Giving up a second-round pick for that type of production would be ill-advised. That would've reeked of desperation.

Even with the loss of Odeyingbo, the Bears shouldn't be that desperate to fill his void. Austin Booker might be an even better player than Johnson, after all. They probably would've never been able to find that out if they added the 26-year-old to the fold, though. Instead, they opted to add a player who won't stunt his development as a pass-rusher and will mainly be an early-down contributor (which is the biggest concern surrounding Booker). They also landed him for a lowly late-round pick swap. Tough to blame them for the pivot.

I wouldn't have minded a trade for Johnson if he could've been had for a fourth-round selection. However, a second was too rich for my blood. Chicago made the right call on this one.

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