The Bears have found ways to survive a depleted defensive front. Now Ryan Poles should explore adding someone who could make that front dangerous.
DeForest Buckner belongs at the top of that conversation.
Indianapolis fired general manager Chris Ballard on Monday, creating uncertainty around the direction of a struggling franchise. That doesn’t automatically put its best veterans on the trading block, but it gives Chicago a reason to ask about a player who could materially improve its chances of making a postseason run.
Buckner is 32, playing on an expiring contract and still producing. With four sacks through six games, he offers something the Bears have lacked consistently up front: an established interior defender capable of disrupting an offense without needing a perfectly designed blitz to get there.
If the acquisition cost falls into Day 3 of the draft, this is an opportunity Chicago should take seriously.
Buckner could give Chicago more than another body
Dennis Allen deserves credit for finding pressure against Atlanta despite missing Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo. Kyler Gordon delivered three sacks. Daniel Hardy recorded his first career sack. Chicago received important contributions from players who entered the season with smaller roles.
That performance showed the value of preparation and depth. It also shouldn’t prevent Poles from pursuing a substantial upgrade. Buckner could be that upgrade.
His ability to threaten the quarterback from inside would give Allen another way to attack protections. Pressure through the middle can prevent quarterbacks from stepping forward to escape edge rushers, while the attention Buckner commands could create more favorable opportunities for teammates.
Put him alongside Grady Jarrett, and Chicago would have two experienced interior defenders capable of challenging an offensive line. Kentavius Street could continue contributing in a rotation rather than carrying as much responsibility.
Buckner wouldn’t directly replace an injured defender. He could improve how the entire front functions. For a unit that has alternated between impressive stretches and costly breakdowns, that kind of difference-maker matters.
Indianapolis has a decision to make
Buckner’s frustration became public after the Colts lost to Tennessee.
“I’m sick and tired of the same song and dance every year,” he said.
That statement wasn’t a trade request. Still, a productive veteran on an expiring deal is an obvious subject for discussion when a franchise changes leadership.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer identified Buckner and Jonathan Taylor as players whose availability would be worth watching following Ballard’s dismissal. Breer pointed to Miami moving veterans after its own change at general manager the previous season.
The Colts haven’t publicly made Buckner available, and there is no reported Bears pursuit. Poles should find out whether Indianapolis is willing to listen before another contender does.
A Day 3 price would make the gamble appealing
Buckner’s age and contract status should keep the compensation below what a younger cornerstone defender would command.
A Day 3 selection — potentially a fourth- or fifth-round pick — is a plausible price for a veteran who could reach free agency after the season. Indianapolis’ actual asking price hasn’t been reported, so those rounds remain a projection.
At that level, the argument for Chicago becomes compelling.
The Bears would be exchanging a future developmental opportunity for a player who can help immediately. There is risk in spending draft capital on a potential rental, and Poles would have to account for Buckner’s remaining salary and Chicago’s other needs.
But a reasonable trade doesn’t require certainty that the player will remain for several seasons. Sometimes the value lies in what he can change right now.
The Bears should think beyond reaching the playoffs
Caleb Williams’ return against Atlanta offered another reminder of Chicago’s offensive potential.
When the quarterback plays with that level of accuracy and control, the Bears have reason to aim higher than simply remaining in the playoff picture. They should be asking which additions could help them pursue a championship. Buckner would address a part of the roster that could determine how far that pursuit goes.
No single trade guarantees a title. But adding a proven interior disruptor would give Chicago a stronger chance against the offenses it would need to beat to win one.
If Indianapolis will move Buckner for a Day 3 pick, Poles should be prepared to turn that possibility into a serious conversation.
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