The Chicago Bears were in the running last week to acquire pass rusher Matthew Judon from the New England Patriots in a trade.

In the end, the Patriots gave Judon the option to select between the third-round picks provided by the Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears. After Judon was traded to the Falcons, the Bears had to go elsewhere before Week 1 to help strengthen their defensive line.

For general manager Ryan Poles, there are still a few possible additions, but not many. If he chooses for a different trading scenario, Poles might need to get inventive because the options are becoming less and less. Which pass rushers are still available for the Bears to target?

Let’s start by examining two free agents that the Bears may yet sign in the offseason.

Ngakoue Yannick

Reuniting with veteran Yannick Ngakoue is the most obvious possibility. It would be hilarious because the Bears signed him to a one-year contract at this time last year. Although Ngakoue’s 2023 season didn’t quite go as planned, they have a lot of momentum and a revitalized locker room, so it makes sense to bring in a familiar face and someone who is familiar with the space.

Charles Harris

Charles Harris, the former pass rusher for the Detroit Lions, hasn’t been all that relevant in a few years, but maybe getting to play against his old team twice a year would inspire him more. With the Lions vying for a Super Bowl spot, Harris may relish exacting some payback. Harris recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2021, but his output has decreased since then. Harris is still a free agent, so it wouldn’t be a horrible choice.

Which pass rushers are the Bears looking to trade for?
Maybe Poles might consider swinging for one of these bigger names if the Bears were still interested in discussing a trade.

Haason Reddick plays for the Jets.

Right now, Haason Reddick’s condition is chaotic. Reddick was acquired by the Jets in exchange for a third-round pick earlier in the summer, but the veteran is now seeking to leave because he has not been offered a new deal. Reddick, who is in the last year of his current contract, wants stability. But all the power belongs to the Jets. They will earn a third-round compensation pick if Reddick ends up playing for another team once this contract expires.

Therefore, Poles would need to give up more than a third round pick if the Bears wanted to take a chance, which may not be the path he wants to pursue. Reddick, who recently finished his fourth season in a row with double-digit sacks, would undoubtedly be appreciated in Chicago.

Los Angeles Chargers’ Joey Bosa

This is the point at which we need to start thinking creatively. With Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach, the Los Angeles Chargers want to quickly turn things around. They are still a little bit in a financial bind, though. The Chargers have already restructured the contracts of Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, but they might still look to clear more room in the future.

Bosa’s deal is good through 2025, and he will have a cap number of more than $36 million the following season. However, he has struggled to stay healthy. The Chargers would save $21 million if they cut him after the 2024 season. It’s definitely an issue to keep an eye on.

Trey Hendrickson of the Bengals were

Another experienced pass rusher with a deal that expires in 2025 is Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson’s age-31 season is scheduled for next year, and he has a cap value of more than $18 million. Given that the cap is still rising, he’ll probably demand more in a new contract.

Cincinnati, which has already paid Joe Burrow top-dog money, finds itself in a difficult situation with both Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase. The team might decide to save $16 million by releasing Hendrickson the next year. If not, the Bengals gain something by dealing him. In the end, the club may choose to break ways with Hendrickson; we’re not sure if that’s their intention. He just finished 2023 with a career-high 17.5 sacks.

Matthew Judon made a grave error in his decision to.

The majority of Chicago Bears supporters are aware of the transaction that occurred last week, sending pass rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons’ offer of a third-round pick was accepted by the New England Patriots, and initially, it seemed as though New England preferred that offer.

But the Patriots went with Judon after learning over the weekend that he preferred the Falcons to the Bears. In 2024, the Falcons and Bears both have room to grow, so on the surface, it could seem like the seasoned pass rusher made the proper choice.

After all, the Falcons have weapons, and Kirk Cousins has been a very successful quarterback for years. Not to add, there are some really good players on the defense. The roster is fairly diverse.

But did Judon choose the proper course of action? Naturally, if you’re asking, he didn’t. Judon might have been the missing component for a Bears club that appears to have assembled really well overall. It was because of Caleb Williams that he might have been a member of the team that generated the most attention in 2024.

Rather, he chose the Falcons, who will most likely see one position and one position only play a major role in their downfall.

In this deal, Matthew Judon selected the side with a lesser ceiling.
Even though the Falcons enter the season with the easiest schedule and a fairly well-rounded squad, Atlanta’s ceiling is still mediocrity when it matters most. Why?

The position of quarterback.

Naturally, the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft after acquiring Kirk Cousins earlier in the free agency period. The entire football community began to wonder what the Falcons were really doing as a result of this.

Nobody has been surprised by Cousins’s handling of the situation since then. He is the epitome of professionalism. But if there’s one thing we’ve discovered about Cousins over the years, it’s that he breaks easily under duress.

Cousins’ subpar performances in prime-time games are already well known to us. Thus, the Falcons can prepare for a few irregularities in the more important games. But, with Cousins at quarterback, the Falcons won’t go very far in the postseason even if they manage to win a winnable division in the NFC South.

Throughout his career, Cousins has a 1-4 record in the postseason and a 12-20 record in prime time games.

He’s an outstanding regular season quarterback most of the time. However, he folds as the lights go on and the stage expands to its greatest size.

It is possible that Judon will have a great regular season and help the Falcons win the division. He picked the wrong squad, though, if he was searching for something greater.

Do I really mean to suggest that the Bears are better than the Falcons?

Indeed, I am.

Take a look at C.J. Stroud’s rookie campaign from last year. After the Texans’ thrilling Wild Card triumph, he guided them to the divisional round. He was a bit of a mystery at times because the league had very little film on him.

Williams is the same. Based on a few preseason outings, he has already been compared to players like Patrick Mahomes. The unpolished abilities are visible to everyone. Cousins lacks “it,” but Williams does.

Despite Williams, the Bears have a better ceiling than the Falcons, which may sound a little absurd. Cousins is, as we all know, a very good quarterback who is just unable to win at the highest levels.

Williams, what about him? Once more, I dare to state that he has a greater potential than Cousins, and he is only starting his career. Even though this is only Williams’ debut season, he already has an abundance of weapons and a formidable defense that concluded the season on a high note and appears to be a top-5 unit. He is well-positioned for success and will only get stronger with time.

Judon ignored the greater ceiling in favor of a safe bet.