The Chicago Bears might need a top-tier edge-rusher to go with Montez Sweat, but they don’t necessarily need a new quarterback.
That is the idea behind a trade suggestion that SB Nation’s Windy City Gridiron’s Bill Zimmerman wrote on Saturday, January 27. In his plan, the Bears give the Las Vegas Raiders the first overall pick in 2024 in exchange for two-time All-Pro edge defender Maxx Crosby and seven additional draft picks over the following three years.
The Chicago Bears trade with the Las Vegas Raiders all the way down to 13 overall, capping off this mock draft with a bang. Mark Davis is thrilled about the prospect of Caleb Williams playing in Las Vegas; he believes it’s a match made in heaven, and the Raiders want to make a huge statement.
Ryan Poles has gained a great deal from the transfer. This year, the Bears land 13, 44, and 77. In addition to acquiring Maxx Crosby, they also select the first and third round picks of the Raiders in 2025 and the second and fourth round picks of the Raiders in 2026.
To be honest, Crosby’s skill set would make him a great match practically anywhere in the NFL, but he could help Chicago, where there is a dire need.
In 2023, the Bears had thirty sacks, placing them 31st out of 32 teams. That figure increased from 20 sacks the previous season, when Chicago finished dead last in the league in that particular statistic.
After playing five seasons in the NFL, Crosby was named to the Pro Bowl three years in a row and was named to the second team of the All-Pro team in 2021 and 2023. According to Pro Football Reference, he has participated in every Raiders game over the previous five years and concluded the 2023 season with career-highs of 14.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss (tied for the highest in the league). In addition, he recorded 31 quarterback hits and a career-high 50 pressures.
In March 2022, Crosby agreed to a four-year, $94 million contract deal that would last through the 2026 campaign. Although his salary cap amounts of $25 million, $27 million, and $27 million for the following three seasons are high, they are reasonable for Chicago. As of Sunday, the Bears had $49.1 million in cap room for 2024.
