Brandon Scherff To The Bears? The Window Is Indeed Open

It’s hardly a secret the Chicago Bears need help on offense. That is pretty much the only topic of discussion on social media lately. No surprise. They have a top 10 defense, a solid special teams group, and the 28th ranked offense in football. If they want to think about a Super Bowl run, they have to get better on that side of the ball. A major source of those struggles is with the offensive line, sparking recent trade talks. One name that hasn’t really been mentioned is Brandon Scherff.

The former Pro Bowler has been a fixture for the Washington Football Team since 2015. However, things reached an impasse on contract discussions this past offseason. This forced the team to use the franchise tag on him. Most assumed a deal would be worked out eventually. Now? Circumstances have changed.

Washington looks like they’re headed for a full rebuild.

At 1-5, they sit among the worst teams in the NFL. They have no stability at quarterback and an offense lacking playmakers outside of Terry McLaurin. That roster needs a ton of work and it’ll take money and draft picks to do it. That would explain why Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated said Washington is definitely open to moving veteran players.

“Speaking of listening, I’m told the Washington Football Team will be listening too, if teams call on their veteran players (which makes three of the four NFC East teams in this category).”

Scherff definitely fits that profile. He’s about to turn 30-years old and will be a free agent next offseason. If a team were to make a strong enough offer, the odds are good a deal would happen.

Brandon Scherff is worth the price IF the Bears are all-in

Make no mistake. Scherff would be expensive. The minimum it would cost to get him is a 5th round pick. Him coming off Injured Reserve recently might lower the compensation a bit. Odds are a 4th or even a 3rd would be needed to seal the deal. The Bears only have the latter, so they’d have to be 100% committed to winning in 2020 if they made such a decision.

GM Ryan Pace already doesn’t have 4th or 7th round picks next year due to prior trades. He’d be unloading another one in a bid to win now with the serious danger of leaving the cupboard empty for this team in the long-term. Pace isn’t afraid to be aggressive but this might be a move he’s reluctant to make.

Then again his mind could be changed in the near future.

If the offense struggles again in Los Angeles on Monday night, minds can change fast. The Bears are 5-1. In perfect position for a playoff run. Their window won’t last forever with this defense. Could one more bold trade push them over the top? There’s no way to know for sure until it happens.

Scherff is a beast when his body is right. That is the caveat though. Since 2017 he’s missed 16 games with a variety of injuries. There is a real chance the Bears could score him for a favorable price. It comes down to absorbing the money hit and accepting the probability he is more likely a rental than a long-term fixture.

A gamble to be sure, but the right one to make for this team.