The Bears still have work to do, even after swinging the Jeffery Simmons trade that sent Chicago fans into a frenzy. The defensive front got its headline addition, but the roster isn’t finished, and the next move could come on the back end.
Cornerback remains one of the biggest issues on the board for Chicago, and there’s a familiar name suddenly back in the mix: Nahshon Wright. The Bears and the Los Angeles Chargers have also been in conversations about a possible Khalil Mack deal, but Wright looks like the reunion candidate gaining real steam.
Wright’s name carries some weight in Chicago because of what he did for the Bears’ defense last season. He led the NFL in turnovers with 10, piling up five interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. That run earned him his first career Pro Bowl selection.
Chicago let him walk, and Wright signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the New York Jets. Things haven’t gone the way he wanted there. He has played in only three games and has just one tackle this season.
The frustration is now out in the open. ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini relayed Wright’s comments about his role in New York: "CB Nahshon Wright tells ESPN that he's 'definitely frustrated' by having no role on defense.
Asked if he has requested a trade, he said, 'Not formally...( But) I've expressed my feelings (to the team).'"
That public tension only fueled the sense that a split is coming. Bears Wire’s Brendan Sugrue added another wrinkle, reporting that Wright wants to return to Chicago. He wrote: "Nahshon Wright hasn't formally requested a trade away from the Jets, but I'm told he wants to come back to the Bears, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation."
For the Bears, the fit is pretty straightforward. The cornerback room has been exposed, with Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson both going through the roughest stretches of their careers. Both have allowed passer ratings above 110 and nearly 15 yards per catch.
Malik Muhammad has been the one steady hand on the outside. The rookie fourth-round pick has been the only corner in the room who has consistently held up in coverage.
Wright wouldn’t walk in as a sure-fire answer, but he could give the Bears useful depth and maybe even compete for snaps right away. At the very least, his presence would raise the pressure on Stevenson and Johnson and give Chicago another option in a secondary that needs help fast.
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Dillon Thieneman Is Forcing A Bears Debate Nobody Expected
A rookie safety has become impossible to ignore in Chicago, and Dillon Thieneman is already pushing his way into conversations the Bears probably did not expect to be having this early in the season. Thrown into a major role right away, he has been on the field for nearly every defensive snap and has quickly turned into one of the most active players on the roster, the kind of presence that makes a first-year defender look far older than he is.
What makes the discussion even more interesting is how much production has followed the workload. Through seven games, Thieneman has given the Bears impact plays as well as consistency, flashing as a tackler and showing enough disruptive ability to matter around the line of scrimmage and in coverage. Comparisons to other rookies and even some notable names from Bears history are already part of the conversation, but the bigger question is how far this start can carry him as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Poles Now Faces Real Pressure After Bears Go All In
The Bears made their biggest roster swing in years by landing defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from Tennessee, a move that immediately changes the look of Chicagos front and underscores how aggressively the team is trying to push forward. To get it done, the Bears paid a steep price in future draft capital and added another major piece to a defense that now has to justify the kind of all-in move that usually comes with a shorter leash for everyone involved.
General manager Ryan Poles didnt hide the magnitude of the deal, and his comments afterward made clear the next phase is as important as the trade itself. Chicago has chosen present-day impact over long-term flexibility, which means the front office now has to keep finding young talent and depth through the draft, undrafted free agents and the lower end of free agency if this bet is going to hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Gruden's Bears Criticism Already Looks Worse For One Clear Reason
Jon Gruden went on the Gruden Family Football Show to break down the Bears matchup with the Seahawks, and his main concern was Chicagos defensive front. He argued the Bears did not have enough pass rushers to make life difficult on Seattle, framing that as a central issue in the game.
Since then, the Bears have added Jeffery Simmons, an established interior defensive lineman, which immediately changes the discussion around that critique. Gruden also took aim at rookie Colston Lovelands blocking and predicted a tough afternoon against Seattle, but the Simmons move gives Chicago a clear answer to at least part of the conversation that followed his preview. [Read more 🡒]