The Bears may have put up 59 points in Week 1 and looked every bit like an offensive juggernaut, but the other side of the ball told a much different story. Chicago gave up 37, and that kind of leak can turn a shootout into a warning sign fast.
That’s why ESPN’s Ben Solak floated a move that would hit at a major position of need: a trade for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Solak’s view is straightforward - if Pittsburgh ever becomes willing to deal him, Chicago should be one of the first teams making the call.
"I might think ... that the Bears should trade for Joey Porter Jr.," Solak writes. "If the Steelers really do want to trade him -- and my sense so far is that they don't -- I think the Bears are the right team to make the call."
Of course, this wouldn’t be a cheap swing. The Steelers are unlikely to move a star corner for light draft compensation, and Ryan Poles would probably have to part with a significant package to get a deal done. But given how shaky the Bears looked defensively, the price could be justified.
There’s another important piece here: Chicago has the cap room to make Porter part of the long-term plan. And that matters, because any trade for a player like this only makes sense if the Bears are prepared to extend him after the deal.
Spending that kind of capital just to rent a corner would be the wrong play. If Chicago is going to make the move, it needs to be tied to a new contract.
That’s where the fit starts to get interesting. The Bears have the money, the need, and an offense that might not stay this explosive forever. If they want to squeeze the most out of this version of the roster, adding and signing Porter would be one way to do it.
And instead of hoping to find help with a swing at a cornerback in the 2027 NFL Draft, the Bears could try to address the problem now by sending a premium pick to Pittsburgh for a proven answer.
Solak stopped short of making a hard demand, but the idea is on the table. If the Steelers and Porter remain at odds, and Chicago keeps showing the same defensive cracks, this is the kind of trade that starts making a lot of sense.
In Other News...
Joey Porter Jr. Just Gave Steelers Fans A Reason To Hope
Joey Porter Jr. is giving the Steelers something to watch heading into Week 2, with the young cornerback increasing his practice participation after being limited earlier in the week. Head coach Mike McCarthy said Porter is expected to do more, which at least points to progress for a player who matters a great deal to Pittsburghs secondary.
The catch is that a fuller practice workload does not automatically mean he is ready to suit up, and the larger backdrop still hangs over the situation. Porter is in the final year of his rookie contract, and while the Steelers have control beyond this season through their roster mechanisms, the current impasse remains unresolved as the team waits to see how much of a step forward this latest practice bump really represents. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fans Know How Rare This Patriots Memory Really Feels
The Steelers-Patriots rivalry has long carried a strange mix of familiarity and frustration for Pittsburgh fans, but the roots of it go back to a time when the balance felt very different. In 1997, the Steelers beat New England in overtime during the regular season, a game that stood out for the kind of hard-nosed, late-game swing that used to define this matchup before the Patriots took control in the Tom Brady era. Pittsburgh not only won that game but went on to capture the division and later saw New England again in the playoffs, giving that season an extra layer of significance.
For Steelers fans, that memory matters because it captures how rare those old advantages have become. What once felt like a competitive heavyweight series gradually shifted into something else entirely, and the 1997 win now reads like a snapshot from a different football age. It is the kind of reminder that makes longtime followers appreciate just how much the rivalry has changed, and why the moments when Pittsburgh had the upper hand still resonate so strongly. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Mourn The Loss Of An Early 1960s Standout
The Steelers are remembering one of their early defensive standouts after news broke that Jim Bradshaw died at 87, according to a social media post from his family. Bradshaw was part of Pittsburghs roster through the middle of the 1960s, appearing in 62 NFL games from 1963 to 1967 and making his mark as a safety after initially being converted from quarterback.
Bradshaws Steelers tenure ended after the 1967 season when he was traded to the Browns, though he never got the chance to suit up for Cleveland before being released. For a franchise that has long prized its defensive identity, his career serves as another reminder of the players who helped shape it during an earlier era. [Read more 🡒]