The Chicago Bears and New England Patriots were quiet about their head coaching plans during the NFL’s “Black Monday” following Week 18. There have been reports and rumors for weeks the Bears could fire Matt Eberflus and the Patriots would fire or trade Bill Belichick. We’ll look at a potential trade proposal for the Bears.
The New England Patriots are interested in trading Belichick
Per GH Media files, Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network and Tom Curran with NBC Sports reported on the Patriots exploring options to trade Belichick following the end of the regular season:
“However, a recent report from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has Curran thinking the Patriots could attempt to trade the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach.
However, a recent report from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has Curran thinking the Patriots could attempt to trade the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach.
Curran took that to mean Kraft could start a “bidding war” among coach-needy teams for Belichick. The Patriots could recover the best compensation for their prized coach. That’s the only logical explanation for why Kraft would delay hiring a new coach when the next regime has a draft with the No. 2 pick on the table.”
The Bears and Patriots have yet to announce their plans for the head coaching position. The Bears reportedly wanted to keep an eye on Michigan Jim Harbaugh’s interest. They could be a part of the Patriots “bidding war” in the background for Belichick.
This trade proposal sends Belichick to the Bears
The Bears are primed to have the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bears would be an exciting team to watch next season if they pair quarterback Caleb Williams with Belichick. But trading for Belichick means they will lose a piece to build around Williams.
Patriots receive
- 2025 second-round pick
Bears receive
- Belichick
Belichick might have been worth a first-round pick or more a few years ago. However, Belichick’s age (71) and record in the post-Tom Brady era (29-38) has dropped his trade value significantly. The Bears don’t have a 2024 second-round pick, so they’d have to ship their 2025 second-rounder to New England to make the trade work.
The Bears ownership would have to be desperate to make the team a contender to hire Belichick. Belichick’s salary with the Patriots is around $20 million per year. That’s a lot of money the Bears might not want to pay.
But if the Bears want excitement in their new stadium, playoff games in Chicago with Belichick coaching Williams would draw big numbers and lots of cash from championship-hungry fans in the Windy City.
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