It has been awhile since a Bears head coach legitimately could say what Ben Johnson proclaimed Monday: At 5-3, the team has a shot not only at making the playoffs but also at winning the NFC North.
Granted, the Bears are 0-2 in the division, haven’t played the Packers and are heading toward a rugged part of their schedule. But they’re barely behind in the North and sit on the fringe of the playoff field with the NFL trade deadline Tuesday.
‘‘We’re right in the mix,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘With the parity of the NFL, each and every year it goes down to the wire. There’s a lot at stake. We can go any number of ways in the second half of the season, and it’s something our guys are going to get pretty excited about.
‘‘This is one of the toughest divisions, if not the toughest, in football. . . . Any team could win this thing.”
Even the Bears?
That’s a variable in the equation as Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles weigh trades. They’re in position in the standings, but the road they’ve taken to 5-3 doesn’t signal they’re ready to contend.
Could they push for a wild card? Sure. Anything more than that? Probably not this season.
That’s why they must prioritize the future and resist going all-in. The Bears aren’t one player away, and they’ll need their upcoming first- and second-round picks and salary-cap flexibility to continue to upgrade the roster.
‘‘Ryan and I have constant dialogue on players that might be available; we talk nonstop about this,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘We look at everyone that could be available and that could help this football team in the here and the now and also have in the back of our head the consequences when you give up capital.’’
That was all he would say to avoid tipping the Bears’ hand.
Poles has a history of swinging big, and some decent talent might be available, even after the Eagles acquired Dolphins pass rusher Jaelen Phillips for a third-round pick. If the Bears can get the right player at the right price, they could use help at defensive end, cornerback and offensive tackle.
Starting defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo suffered a torn Achilles tendon Sunday and will join cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon on injured reserve. Ben Johnson benched left tackle Braxton Jones in favor of Theo Benedet, but Benedet has struggled and rookie Ozzy Trapilo needs development.
Dolphins defensive end Matt Judon, Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen and Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal are among the most plausible targets, but each would bring concerns.
The Bears’ only practical deals fall into two categories:
1. Trades in which they don’t surrender anything valuable, which means they won’t get a game-changer in return.
2. Acquisitions who will be long-term pieces, such as when Poles traded second-round picks at the deadline for wide receiver Chase Claypool in 2022 and defensive end Montez Sweat in 2023.
The Claypool deal was a disaster — Poles’ biggest personnel mistake to date — but the logic of landing a player who could be signed to a contract extension made sense.
Nonetheless, after the Bears host the 2-7 Giants on Sunday, their remaining schedule is daunting.
All five of the Bears’ victories, the most recent being a narrow escape against a horrible Bengals team, have come against opponents that have losing records and are in the bottom 14 of the league. They’ll play six of their final eight against teams currently in the playoff field.
Johnson has said he anticipates the Bears peaking in December, but that’s based on faith, not proof. If they’re still playing like this, especially on defense, they’re going nowhere.
It’s progress that he even can talk about it with a straight face. Since Poles declared his intent to ‘‘take the North and never give it back,’’ the Bears have finished last in three consecutive seasons. This is a step up from the Matt Eberflus era, but they can’t get carried away.
