There aren’t many moves the Chicago Bears might make before the trade deadline this year, but adding another edge rusher should at least be a consideration.
The Bears have 12 total sacks on the season — tied for 25th in the NFL. Of those, just five have come from defensive ends: 2.0 from Montez Sweat, one from Dayo Odeyingbo, 1.5 from Dominique Robinson and one from Tanoh Kpassagnon, who is no longer on the roster.
Five sacks from your DEs in six games isn’t something to get excited about. The Bears signed Sweat and Odeyingbo to $98 million and $48 million deals, respectively, but the sacks just aren’t coming.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report put together a trade proposal that would send New York Jets first-round edge Jermaine Johnson to the Windy City in exchange for a conditional 2026 third-round pick. Is this something the Bears should consider? Let’s discuss.
Bears Trade Proposal Sends New York Jets Edge Jermaine Johnson to Chicago
GettyThe Chicago Bears have been named a top trade fit for New York Jets pass rusher Jermaine Johnson.
Knox pointed out what the top selling point for Johnson would likely be for the Bears: his contract.
“At 26 years old and with a contract that runs through 2026, he should interest teams looking for short- or long-term help,” Knox wrote on October 22.
One top NFL insider also believes Johnson could be had for the right price, as the 0-7 Jets aren’t going anywhere this season.
“The Jets are not desperate to trade Johnson; good edge rushers are hard to find, and his $13.4 million salary for 2026 (a fifth-year option) is reasonable,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on October 22.
“But my sense after asking around is that New York would be more willing to part with Johnson than Will McDonald IV if it made any move at the position. McDonald is in the third year of his rookie deal, whereas Johnson is in his fourth. And Johnson has garnered a bit of interest thus far.”
Fowler also projects there’s a 35% chance Johnson will get traded — and he named the Bears as one of two potential suitors. If a third-rounder is all it would take to secure Johnson’s talents, the Bears should absolutely be interested.
More on Johnson’s Career With the Jets
At 6-foot-5 and 254 pounds, Johnson is long and athletic, with the kind of build Dennis Allen likes in his DEs.
A first-round pick for the Jets (26th overall) in 2022, he appeared in 14 games as a rookie, finishing with 29 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The next season, he took a major step, finishing with 55 tackles, 7.5 sacks, seven passes defensed and a pick-six.
Johnson suffered a huge blow when he tore his Achilles in Week 2 of 2024, and he missed the rest of the year. His early 2025 tape suggests he’s back to moving well, though — his burst is still there. For a player who’s only 26 and under contract through 2026 (New York picked up his fifth-year option), there’s reason to think the best version of him is still on the way.
He’s also versatile enough to play both sides, which would give Allen more flexibility with personnel groupings.
The financial aspect is the most appealing for Chicago. Johnson’s fifth-year option would give the Bears two full seasons of control — and with his recent injury history, it shouldn’t take a haul to add him.
There’s obvious risk, of course. Achilles injuries are serious, but we think the upside — a proven pass rusher entering his prime, under contract, in a scheme that fits — would make this a risk worth taking.
If the Jets are open for business, the Bears should be at the front of the line.
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