4 Bold Moves the Bears Must Make During the Bye Week
The Bears are heading into their bye week, and here are four moves I think they should consider:
Keep starting Ozzy Trapilo over Braxton Jones
Trapilo showed real upside when thrown to the wolves against Maxx Crosby. Yes, the Bears gave him help in the game plan, but he still held his own and proved he belongs. At this point, he deserves to keep the starting job. Braxton Jones should be the backup for the rest of the year unless injuries change things.
Find another running back
I like what D’Andre Swift brings as a receiving option, and he can hold up in pass protection at times, but his vision isn’t great. The Bears should explore the trade market for another runner. On top of that, I’d like to see more of Kyle Monongai. He’s not flashy or fast, but he has a little David Montgomery in his game. He still has plenty to prove, but it’s worth giving him more touches.
Explore the edge rusher market
Montez Sweat and the rest of the group just aren’t getting enough pressure. I wouldn’t move premium draft capital, but if there’s a veteran pass rusher available for a day-three pick, the Bears should make some calls. Adding another body could make a difference.
Get Colston Loveland and Luther Burden more involved
Cole Kmet should start losing snaps in passing situations. Once Loveland is healthy, those targets should go to him. As for Burden, he’s slowly gaining the coaching staff’s trust, but his playmaking ability is real. We already saw it on his trick-play touchdown. He’s elusive with the ball in his hands, and not just on returns. Ben Johnson needs to expand their roles out of the bye week.