Throughout the entire offseason and preseason, there have been countless stories about the Chicago Bears and the state of their defensive line. Earlier in the spring came news and confirmation that general manager Ryan Poles inquired about Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby. Shortly thereafter came speculation on Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowl EDGE Josh Sweat following his formal trade request. Most recently came news the Bears have checked in on Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea.
No matter how you slice it, the dots all connect towards the same destination – a major swing being prepared to bolster the trenches on defense. And yet, despite their defensive line being perhaps their biggest position of need, we haven’t seen much action being taken. Whether it has been due to asking price, fit, or a combination of the two; we have yet to see such a transaction take place. At least up to the writing of this article.
Today I am examining each of those three distinct possibilities and breaking down just how well the previously mentioned players fit into the Bears’ end goal of hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. All three share similarities as well as differences to consider.
OLB Maxx Crosby
You read that headline correctly, as “Mad Maxx” is listed as a “WILL” LB on the depth chart for the Las Vegas Raiders. It will be a career first for Crosby as he’s played exclusively within 4-man fronts dating back to his days in college at Eastern Michigan. The Eastern Michigan Eagles ran a derivative of the 4-2-5 front, and then both Paul Gunther (2019-2021) as well as Patrick Graham (2022-2025) had their own spins on 4-3 under concepts during their respective times as defensive coordinators for the Raiders. While base fronts rarely crack more than 30% of a team’s total lineup on defense, this is still a significant consideration to make.
We also don’t need to rehash the entire trade debacle which took place earlier this offseason. Instead, the point needs to be made that the Raiders made the decision to move on from Maxx Crosby once already. They can just as easily make that same decision again and have built their roster accordingly. The only reason he’s still in Las Vegas is because the Baltimore Ravens developed cold feet (I’m calling it as I see it) and backed out. The Raiders have until November’s trade deadline to find a new partner. I’d imagine general manager John Spytek is holding out for a deal which matches what he was originally promised.
There’s really no question whatsoever as to how good Maxx Crosby would fit within the Bears’ defense. He’d resume his usual duties as a defensive end adjacent from Montez Sweat, which would form one of the better pass rush tandems in the league. Crosby’s arrival would also go a long ways to beefing up Chicago’s unit against the run. Maxx Crosby the run stuffer is almost as elite as Maxx Crosby the pass rusher. Per PFF, he ranked 2nd in stops with 46 and 1st among defensive ends in snaps against the run (410).
What might be the showstopper is his recent injury history. That failed physical (torn and repaired meniscus) with the Ravens has been questioned a great deal by people from around the league, yet it will still be part of his medical record for when teams resume trade negotiations for Maxx. On this subject, it has been made clear Ryan Poles does not take medical evaluations lightly and will not take a major medical risk unless he’s assured the player will be available to contribute.
Dating back to the spring, the Bears were interested in Maxx Crosby and did have conversations about the prospects of a trade before the Raiders took the Ravens’ offer of two whole 1st-round picks. It is unknown what Ryan Poles’ final price is and he’s operated with his self-made mandate of not deviating from his bottom-line offer. The question remains – just how interested is Ryan Poles in re-engaging a potential deal down the road?
EDGE Josh Sweat
The amount of interest in Josh Sweat has been a bit of a mystery ever since the Pro Bowler and his agent formally submitted their request for a trade following the firing of Jonathan Gannon as their head coach. While he’s nowhere near as big a splash as any potential deal for Maxx Crosby, Josh Sweat is a damn good player in his own right. He also offers a bit more flexibility in how he can be used up front on defense.
I rarely use the term “EDGE” when writing about football, as both defensive end and outside linebacker are distinctly different positions and recognized as such in the NFL. However, in the case of Josh Sweat, he has played both positions during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals. There’s been no drop-off in his production while playing in any alignment as well.
As of this moment, he is still listed on the PUP list for an unspecified knee injury. Otherwise, he has been healthy for a vast majority of his NFL career. What most people will point out is his good, not great, production as a pass rusher. Sacks aren’t everything, but he’s had just two seasons where he cracked double digits in this statistic. In fact he’s been pretty comparable to Chicago’s Montez Sweat, particularly in pressures registered. Which is by no means a bad thing, just an observation between two rock-solid players. Both players have been the primary pass-rushing threat for their respective teams these last few years.
When you truly think about this possibility, it almost makes the most sense for the Bears in terms of fit and price. His contract isn’t small but definitely is manageable and can be made a point of emphasis in any potential trade offer. I.E. the more money the Bears try to take on, of which they don’t really have much available in the first place, the lower the value of the draft pick(s). The opposite is true as well. For what it’s worth, there is an out built into Josh Sweat’s deal for 2027 as well. On paper, Josh fits in as an ideal partner adjacent to Montez Sweat on the field just as much as it would be a marketing opportunity for Old Spice.
DT Vita Vea
Of the trio, Vita Vea is the first and only true defensive tackle the Bears might be assessing as a trade target. While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been adamant about not shopping their stud nose tackle, tangible reports have linked the Bears as a potential suitor and trade partner. Vita’s arrival would not just be massive in the literal sense. He would transform the Bears’ defensive line from the interior-on-out.
That might be the first argument to have – which position group between defensive end and tackle needs more help right now? And, after considering both Vita Vea’s current prospects and the potential impact Dexter Lawrence could have made, I’m leaning towards tackle. Here is why.
Aside from rookie Jordan van den Berg, no players have contracts lasting past 2027. Grady Jarrett’s deal has an optional out built in to exercise for 2027, which is the same for Neville Gallimore, and everyone else, including Gervon Dexter Sr’s contracts, will expire at season’s end this year. By comparison, there’s more certainty at the end between players like Montez Sweat and Austin Booker.
Before we get too carried away, we have to remember why Vita Vea and his agency requested a trade recently. They want a (well-earned) pay raise, plain and simple. His $18M average has fallen considerably compared to his peers thanks to a slew of big contract extensions for even bigger men. He’s also one of only two true nose tackles in the league who have posted elite numbers against both the run and the pass rush.
We were all amazed by the numbers posted for Dexter Lawrence prior to his sign-and-trade deal between the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants. Who was the second player ranked behind Dexy on most of those lists? Vita Vea, who’s been averaging over 15 pressures over the past five years. A remarkable stat for a true nose of his listed size (6-4, 346 pounds). Of course, he devours the run as one would imagine an actual bear being capable of demonstrating. As Lester Wiltfong mentioned in a side conversation, he would be the “glue” for a unit needing cohesion from the interior. Having a pair of standouts at end would be fantastic. It would also present the all-too-familiar problem of having a soft belly to gash against the run.
If the Bears do indeed pull the trigger on adding Vita Vea, then it will result in taking a massive gamble at defensive end. Austin Booker has been impressive in camp and seems to be in firm control of the job adjacent from Montez Sweat, barring any sizeable additions that have been previously mentioned. It’s been a long time since the Bears developed their own starting-caliber defensive end, which I’d argue was Alex Brown when he was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2002 NFL Draft. Mark Anderson was a flash in the pan for 2006 and there’s been a long list of draft misses since then.
The sheer cost financially will be difficult for the cash-strapped Bears to navigate without making a few restructures on existing contracts. The draft capital expected in return is debatable too, as a team projected to pick low in the first round, like the Bears, currently faces competition from other teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. However, adding Vita Vea might be the most transformational move for the entire unit, as it would add a great deal of certainty to the interior and perhaps the best possible option at nose to pair with Gervon Dexter Sr. That last part cannot be understated.
Who do you, the fan, want the Bears to trade for the most out of this list?