Bear Digest

One Bear makes offer to Myles Garrett as a new edge rusher surfaces

Another edge rusher for trade acquisition could be there for Chicago but Myles Garrett is on the mind of at least one Bears player who is making him an offer.
Gene Chamberlain|
Myles Garrett made the rounds at the Super Bowl in New Orleans and Jaylon Johnson has an offer for him.
Myles Garrett made the rounds at the Super Bowl in New Orleans and Jaylon Johnson has an offer for him. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

If Cleveland's Myles Garrett wants to facilitate a trade to Chicago, two-time Bears Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson can help.

It's probably not going to be of interest to someone making close to $30 million a year but who knows?

"I'll let him stay in the room downstairs if he needs one til he gets on his feet or whatever he needs, I feel like," Johnson told Fox Sports' Keyshawn Johnson. "He's that caliber of a guy. At the end of the day everybody knows his resume, what he can do, what he has done.

"I'll let him stay in the room downstairs if he needs one til he gets on his feet or whatever he needs, I feel like."
Jaylon Johnson on Myles Garrett

"And I mean, shoot, I know if he's unhappy he can come to Chicago and we can get a good spot for him, get him comfortable and then, shoot, we can take over this league with a heck of a defense and then, of course, with Ben (Johnson), Caleb (Williams), DJ (Moore), all of thyose guys getting the offense together. I'm sure we can definitely make a push for something."

Garrett probably isn't thought to be targeting the Bears, though, but another edge rusher could be available soon. At least the Bears weren't the team name being brought up to Garrett in interviews.

Most questions were about the Washington Commanders. They seem to fit what he's trying to find.

Of course, the Commanders are still fresh in everyone's minds because of their playoff run. The Bears need to prove they can do something offensively under new coach Ben Johnson before they'd be the place everyone thinks a player could go to win a championship. And make no mistake, that's how Garrett views his quest.

He told ESPN's Mina Kimes he will be looking to see a team's quarterback situation before he'd want to be traded there.

And Washington's Jayden Daniels impressed him.

"Absolutely, I mean, he looked great, he looked great when we played him but he really showed his behind when he was in in the playoffs and he's really done it and been really composed throughout the whole season," Garrett said.

Definitely Caleb Williams is up and coming but no one could put the Bears in the status of contender.

"I just want to go to a contender," Garrett told Rich Eisen. "There's definitely contenders on the AFC side and NFC side."

If the Bears can't get in on the trade for Garrett, it's always possible they could look for someone else in a trade.

Another potential name with ties to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen could become available, and that's Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson. He enters the final year of his contract, and of his $18.67 million cap hit all is in cash except $2.7 milion. So it is more easily absorbed by a team with cap space like the Bears have. Also, a trade is easier for the team making the deal as a result.

Bengals personnel boss Duke Tobin, son of the late Bill Tobin, a former Bears personnel director, recently said some things publicly that could have been interpreted to mean Cincinnati can't afford to keep Hendrickson. With Ja'Marr Chase's contract expiring after 2025 and Tee Higgins' about to become a free agent, Cincinnati could find paying everyone difficult.

Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks last year with 17 1/2. He had 17 1/2 each of the last two years. While he played for Allen with the Saints, 57 of his 77 career sacks came since he left New Orleans.

Charlie Clifford of WLWT in Cincinnati reported the Bengals are just about to start talks with Hendrickson's agent, but there has been no trade request and the contract runs through the 2025.

"You know what that looks like, this season, you know if it's something that we can agree on in terms,

that would be great," Hendrickson told Pat McAfee on ESPN's the McAfee Show in New Orleans. "Ideally, my wife and I would love to stay in Cincinnati.

"If it's something that helps the Bengals win a Super Bowl, if they get picks or anything like that (in exchange), I want to help win a Super Bowl for Cincinnati whether I'm there or not."

Tobin's comment about finding it tough to pay everyone was still fresh on Hendrickson's mind, though, even if he was playing nice. It was thought to be more a case of Tobin setting up the contract talk strategy rather than suggesting anyone actually would get traded.

"Yeah, I would have preferred to have heard it different than my Dad texting me a tweet," Hendrickson said. "You know, that would have been great to have kind of figured it out that way, but obviously the table is being set in that way (for talks)."

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published | Modified
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.