Bears general manager Ryan Poles was busy during last year’s NFL trade deadline, where he dealt linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive end Robert Quinn and acquired receiver Chase Claypool (who’s since been traded away).
With this season’s trade deadline looming on Oct. 31, it’s reasonable to wonder if Poles could elect to do something similar — trade away players he doesn’t expect back in 2024. The fact that Chicago’s season is all but over sitting at 1-5 certainly helps that train of thinking.
One of those trade candidates is cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who’s in the final year of his rookie deal. Johnson told 670 the Score’s Parkins & Spiegel Show Monday that the thought of being traded has crossed his mind.
“I’m not oblivious, I’m not blind and I’m not exempt at the end of the day,” Johnson said. “When you trade Roquan away, when you trade Robert Quinn away, man, you can trade anybody away. So, I mean, I’m definitely not exempt.”
With that said, Johnson reiterated that he’d like to remain in Chicago for the long haul, and he hopes to sign a contract extension as the final year of his rookie deal winds down.
“I know what’s going on. I know what is to be figured out and different things like that. At the end of the day, the Bears got to do what’s best for them and I got to do what’s best for me. Whatever happens with that happens. I’m not forcing anything. Like I’ve been saying from day one, I want to stay here. This is my first team, my home, I bought a house here, everything. All my plans were to stay in Chicago.
“At the end of the day, it’s not about feelings. It’s not about what I want or any of that. For me, it’s just about continuing to go out there and put great film on tape. Whatever happens after that happens. But at the end of the day, nobody is exempt from being traded.”
We’ll see if Poles goes on a selling spree like last year with the trade deadline just a couple of weeks away.
