Bears named as fit for star pass rusher who 'could be traded next'

The National Football League trade market is heating up as fall approaches, but will the Chicago Bears get in on the act?

As the regular season approaches, NFL front offices seem to be engaging in more intense negotiations. Wednesday saw former New England Patriots star Matthew Judon traded to the Atlanta Falcons, the first big trade of the preseason.

Meanwhile, rumors have swirled around San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk and New York Jets linebacker Haason Reddick, both of whom appear unhappy with their current contract situations.

Though Reddick was traded to the Jets in April and hasn't yet played a game for his new team, multiple reports have confirmed the two-time Pro Bowler has requested a trade out of New York. And the Bears could stand to gain from the Jets' misfortunes.

In his piece listing 10 NFL players who "could be traded next," Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports named the Bears as a fit for Reddick via hypothetical trade.

"Unless the Jets cave to his demands, which would significantly aid their pass rush, Reddick feels poised to keep up the stare down in hopes of relocating for a second time this offseason," Benjamin said.

Reddick, 29, was a star with the Philadelphia Eagles the past two seasons. He racked up 27 sacks, led the league in forced fumbles in 2022, and garnered two Pro Bowl bids and a second-team All-Pro selection.

To say the Bears could use Reddick to bolster their pass rush is an understatement. Chicago totaled just 30 sacks as a team in 2023, second only to the Carolina Panthers for fewest in the NFL.

Reddick is holding out in hopes of securing a longer, more lucrative contract than the one he signed with the Eagles in 2022, which pays him $14.25 million in 2024. He is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

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