The Bears are not done augmenting their defensive line situation. A day after obtaining edge rusher Darrell Taylor from the Seahawks, the team turned to an AFC North depth chart for another solution up front.
Cleveland is sending defensive tackle Chris Williams to Chicago, The Athletic’s Adam Jahns reports. This is a pick-swap trade, with the Bears receiving Williams and a 2025 seventh-rounder and the Browns collecting a sixth. The 2025 sixth originally came from the Dolphins, Jahns adds.
This late-August period has doubled as a trade window for a while, as teams prepare to set their 53-man rosters. The Bears will use it to reunite Williams with Matt Eberflus. The Colts initially signed Williams as a 2020 UDFA, doing so during Eberflus’ time as Indianapolis’ DC. This should bring scheme familiarity for the practice squad veteran, who played in 13 games as a Colts backup from 2021-22.
The Bears have now made five trades involving veteran players this offseason. They obtained Ryan Bates from the Bills, landed Keenan Allen from the Chargers, sent Justin Fields to the Steelers, dealt for Taylor and have now brought in D-tackle help. Williams, who did not see regular-season time in 2023, has played only 107 career defensive snaps. The former UDFA may still not be a roster lock for the Bears. But this trade suggests the team wanted to get ahead of the waiver process to obtain a player familiar with Eberflus’ defense.
Williams, 26, signed a reserve/futures deal with the Browns in January but may have been likely to see an AFC team cut him once again. Williams went to camp with the Chiefs in 2023, failing to make the Super Bowl champions’ 53-man roster before eventually landing on the Browns’ P-squad to close out last season. The Browns have some established vets at D-tackle, re-signing Shelby Harris and Maurice Hurst and adding Quinton Jefferson to go with Dalvin Tomlinson. Cleveland also used a second-round pick on Michael Hall, providing a presumptive roadblock for Williams toward the 53-man roster.
Williams will join 2023 Day 2 picks Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens at DT, along with veteran Andrew Billings, at DT with Chicago. Pickens has missed recent time due to injury, with the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs also expecting veteran Byron Cowart to make the roster. Saturday’s trade stands to adjust this calculus. The team did not draft a D-tackle, instead trading back into this year’s draft for D-end Austin Booker. Williams profiles as a depth piece, but it is clear the Bears were dissatisfied with their D-line as the preseason wound down.
The Bears are doing everything they can to make it to the playoffs. Even as a Packers fan, I have to hand it to them. The roster looks good. If Caleb can play as a top half QB this year and they get lucky on the injury front, they may do it.
Could it have something to do with justifying the new stadium plan?
Hes a rotational depth piece. Probably would’ve been cut by CLE.
Or they are just trying to win. Don’t this any of this has to do with the stadium.
I like their offseason, but I’m not sure trading the smallest amount of draft capital to acquire a bit player who never saw the field last night constitutes a move geared toward the playoffs.
They’ll probably get picks back from players they can’t use. Bears have a tough cut down day coming. Especially at DB. There are guys that teams will want. Stay Tuned.
Ehhh… every competing team thinks that and it rarely happens.
Maybe, maybe not. But they do have CB depth that most teams don’t have which could result in them trading one or two guys for draft capital or more D-line help- which IS lacking in depth.
Yeah i don’t disagree but you can’t deny they’re doing everything they can to compete.
I get that head coaches have a fondness for former players but gosh! you got 20 assistant coaches on each side of the ball. Can none of those assistants teach a player who lacks a familiarity with the HCs schemes?
I don’t think any of that crap about knowing schemes really means crap. I mean how many ways can a DT go in reality? I’m sure it’s more about the Scouts and Poles liked this guy and had a spot they wanted for him. As for fitting a scheme it’s more about Eberflus knowing the guy personally and probably vouched for him. They might not be done yet, I think there’s more work to do. And on top of it all, It’s just a pick SWAP. There isn’t a ton of difference between a 6th and 7th round pick so chill out Bears fans it’s all good.
Decent roll of the dice for only a 6th rounder, but the fact Poles has to barter draft picks, albeit it 6th rounders, for guys that appear to only be worth that to other teams, and talking with Ngakoue to come back, speaks to how the neglect of getting quality (1st and 2nd stringers) for both lines could catch up to the Bears.
The D line has shown to get gashed up the middle at times this preseason. Dexter is good, same with Sweat, and Booker has shown like he could be good, but if they are relying on guys like Robinson (who I think is still here solely because Poles drafted him,and not because of talent, like Velus Jones) and now this ‘sack specialist’ Taylor who likely is not playing every down, its worrying. Especially since at least half of these guys will likely be hurt at some point. With no bonafide stud ‘3’ tech. on the roster, its on Dexter, and if Dexter gets hurt, the Bears are really in trouble.
Hopefully Poles is THAT good at finding these guys that pan out with minimal draft compensation.
Poles has traded two 6th rounders for 3 players. 2 who will be rotational fits. I call that getting good value for your buck. I could see the Bears picking up another DT on Cut Down day as Pickens hasn’t exactly inspired so far and we don’t even know what’s wrong with him. Billings and Dexter are solid and Williams can rotate in. Another DT will be fine and 5 DT’s and 4 DE’s would be a good mix. With Walker, Sweat, Booker and Taylor for ends unless they move Walker inside. Then Hardy makes the team. Walkers versatility makes him valuable. Sewell hasn’t exactly stood out and I would love to see Baskerville kept over him. Don’t be surprised to see a trade there either. I also would be shocked if Poles doesn’t come away with more draft picks than he gives away.
Bears only have 8 teams in front of them on the waiver wire, not sure this guy would have been picked up that fast. Bears have a lot of depth at CB and RB that I would suspect that they may trading for 6th rounders themselves.
I think they are also looking at a 5th corner via waivers. I just don’t see any harm in a 7th round pick yielding a depth piece on a position group without much depth. Getting him in now, to learn the scheme and his fit inside the defense is a bonus
LOL. I can practically guarantee that ONE position the Bears aren’t looking for after cut down day is a CB.