The Chicago Bears finally did on Thursday, March 5 what most prominent NFL analysts expected they eventually would by trading wide receiver DJ Moore, but how and where they traded him has meaningful implications for the next big move in the Windy City.
Chicago sent Moore, along with a fifth-round pick, to the Buffalo Bills for that team’s second-rounder this April. Not only does that add a fourth pick to the Bears’ draft stores through the first two days of the upcoming NFL draft, but it clears up enough salary cap space for the team to pursue an elite offensive lineman.
The Bears already had concerns at left tackle following a playoff knee injury to starter Ozzy Trapilo, which will keep him sidelined for much of next season. Chicago’s offensive line issues grew substantially earlier this week when center Drew Dalman abruptly and unexpectedly retired in his late 20s after playing just one season on a three-year, $42 million deal he inked last spring.
“That type of financial flexibility will allow the Bears to go after the top names on the free agent center market, like Tyler Linderbaum, who league sources believe will be the highest-paid interior offensive lineman with a deal north of $22 million per year,” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported. “The Bears place high importance on the center position. That’s why they paid a premium to get Dalman last offseason.”
Of course, wiping Moore and Dalman’s salaries off the books also clears room to add pass-rusher Maxx Crosby, and the extra draft pick Chicago acquired from Buffalo early on Day 2 could come in handy in that regard. However, Moore was often linked as the personnel piece in hypothetical trade packages for Crosby, alongside a first-round pick or a collection of a couple high selections this April.
The Las Vegas Raiders’ asking price for Crosby is reportedly at least two first-round picks, which the Bears could certainly cobble together. That said, there is talent at the position in free agency in players like Trey Hendrickson and Odafe Oweh on longer-term deals or potential one-year pacts for future Hall of Fame players like Khalil Mack and Cameron Jordan.
A zone-blocking phenom with an elite brain like Linderbaum, most recently of the Baltimore Ravens, is considerably harder to find, at least this offseason. That reality may well shift the Bears’ priorities to solidifying its offensive line first and worrying about its pass-rush later.
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