The NFL’s Trade Deadline is TUESDAY, which amplifies the importance today’s game.
Not that what happens today will provide us with anything akin to a cartoon lightbulb going off above our head like we had some sort of football epiphany. But even Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace insists today’s travels will help the team decide which lane it chooses ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Pace spoke with Bears Radio play-by-play voice Jeff Joniak on the pregame show on WBBM Newsradio 780-AM and 105.9 FM, implying that this game could lead the front office to make some aggressive moves. Thanks to Larry Mayer, who reports on the team from its official site, for the transcription:
“We’re always looking at ways to improve our team. This time of year there’s so much constant dialogue with all the other teams; it’s constantly ongoing. I think if something presents itself to make us better, we’ll always talk through it as a staff. It’s no different this week. We’ve made several trades this season and our aggressive mindset will be ongoing.”
To be fair, the Bears should be looking to improve their team. And Pace should be doing his part in keeping dialogue with the league’s other 31 teams. It would be malpractice if he wasn’t actively doing so ahead of the deadline. And for what it’s worth, the Bears have dabbled in the in-season trade market in the past. Heck, the team dealt future late-round draft considerations in order to bolster the return game in the Jakeem Grant Sr. trade. And the Dontrelle Inman trade was a pre-deadline move in 2017, which was made to give Mitchell Trubisky another warm body to throw to as a rookie. Again, this is all worthwhile perspective to have ahead of Tuesday’s decision day. Context is king.
But in the end, we’ll see what happens in today’s game and whether that changes the thinking. A win could serve as something that enables the front office to throw even more capital into this year’s team. Otherwise, a loss could push the team to operate aggressively in a different direction. It’s not as if the Bears don’t have players on expiring deals who could help teams. Then again, a win today would make the team less likely to go down that path.
As much as the idea Pace trying more future pieces to prop up this year’s team makes me grumble incomprehensibly, it isn’t lost on me that he is working to prove he deserves more time in the organization. In other words, at least he hasn’t checked out entirely as he awaits his fate.