There's a call for the Bears to pursue an assertive trade move for the $61 million wide receiver.
The Chicago Bears have demonstrated enough improvement over the past four weeks to consider themselves buyers leading up to the NFL trade deadline, provided the right player becomes available.
According to Bleacher Report's NFL staff, there's a strong argument for wide receiver Courtland Sutton being that player, and they suggest that the Bears should actively pursue a trade to acquire him.
Following the trade of Chase Claypool, the Bears could benefit from adding a receiver like Sutton, known for his ability to make contested catches. Sutton recently appeared on B/R's trade block column as the Denver Broncos are expected to be sellers at the deadline.
Although the Bears are not in immediate contention for a playoff spot this season, Sutton, at just 28 years old, is under contract through 2025. This means he could potentially establish a productive connection with Justin Fields or the Bears' future quarterback for several years in Chicago.
Regarding the Bears' wide receiver situation, they secured their No. 1 receiver by trading for D.J. Moore from the Carolina Panthers before the 2023 NFL Draft. However, the identity of the long-term second wide receiver for Chicago remains uncertain.
Darnell Mooney is currently the frontrunner for that role, but his return in 2024 is not guaranteed. Mooney is in the final season of his four-year, $3.6 million rookie deal and is set to become a free agent in March. Questions have arisen about Mooney's value, considering his recent performance and injury history. While he had a 1,000-yard season in 2021, his production dipped last year due to missed games, and in 2023, he has recorded just 14 catches for 184 yards and a touchdown through six games.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus identified Mooney as a "very intriguing potential trade chip" on October 19, which makes sense if the Bears do not view him as a long-term complement to Moore. On the other hand, Courtland Sutton appears to be an ideal fit for that role.
Sutton would represent a significant upgrade over Mooney, albeit with a higher price tag. He is currently in the second year of a four-year, $61 million contract, which is reasonable considering his consistent production over the years, despite playing in Denver's subpar offense. As of Tuesday, the Bears have approximately $96 million in projected cap space for 2024.
Despite dealing with a less-than-ideal offensive situation in Denver, Sutton has consistently produced, recording at least 700 receiving yards in four of his first five NFL seasons. The one year he fell short (2020) was primarily due to injury, which limited him to just one regular-season game.
Sutton's career stats include 270 catches for 3,838 yards and 19 touchdowns in 72 appearances over his six-year professional career, according to Pro Football Reference. In the current season, he has made 31 catches for 351 yards and 5 touchdowns through seven games.
The Bears possess two fourth-round picks in next year's draft, one likely to be near the top of the round (their own) and one likely to be toward the end (acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles). Starting negotiations for Sutton with their earlier fourth-round pick makes sense, and if the front office is particularly confident in Sutton's future potential at 28 years old with a consistent history of production, they may consider sweetening the offer to include a 2024 third-rounder.
| POLL | ||
25 OCTOBRE | 44 ANSWERS There's a call for the Bears to pursue an assertive trade move for the $61 million wide receiver. Should the Bears trade for Courtland Sutton | ||
| Yes | 14 | 31.8 % |
| No | 30 | 68.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
