Add The New York Post on Google The Bears acquired a notable pass rusher midseason three years ago.
Former NFL safety Devin McCourty believes they should take a stab at a similar deal this year.
After Chicago’s defense provided the resistance of a folding chair in a 59-37 road win over the Panthers on Sunday, McCourty suggested the Bears reach out to a local team stocked with pass rushers.
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“If you’re going to score a lot of points, then it comes down to your pass defense and your pass defense is impacted by your pass rushers or your cover guys,” McCourty said on “Up & Adams” on Tuesday.
“To me, I know everybody in New York is excited — you might want to call down to the Giants. ‘Hey, I know you got Abdul Carter, you got Brian Burns, what you thinking about with (Kayvon) Thibodeaux? Are you planning on extending him?’ Maybe that’s a call they make, you add a pass rusher.”
The Bears certainly could use a pass rusher in their quest to repeat as NFC North champions after their defense did its best matador impression Sunday.
Bryce Young is nobody’s idea of a franchise quarterback but Chicago turned him into an MVP, allowing 361 passing yards and 478 total yards.
The Bears are dealing with plenty of injuries, particularly in their secondary, but it will be a tall task to win the NFC without the ability to get the occasional stop — unless you expect 59 points each time out.
Three years ago, Chicago acquired Montez Sweat from the Commanders to bolster its pass rush ahead of his free agency and Thibodeaux represents a similar situation.
Thibodeaux, 25, is in the last year of his contract and he’s the team’s No. 3 pass rusher at best behind Burns and Carter.
He played just 27 defensive snaps — 47 percent of the team’s total — in the 28-20 home win over the Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football.”
Carter and Burns played 91 and 84 percent of the defensive snaps, respectively.
Chicago could, in theory, get ahead of the offseason by acquiring him and offering an extension.
One potential roadblock would be whether the Giants would be willing to hurt their pass-rush depth after just one game while likely not receiving much — if anything — back to help this year.
The Giants need cornerback depth and the Bears don’t have a player to swap, and trading Thibodeaux for a pick could ruffle some feathers following the feel-good vibes after upsetting the Cowboys in John Harbaugh’s debut.
However, if we’re putting on our GM caps, perhaps there’s a deal to be made where the Giants send the Bears Thibodeaux for a draft pick that helps them land disgruntled Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
“To me, it’s very hard to find good secondary play off the street and a lot of teams, they’re not going to just trade away defensive backs that they like,” McCourty said. “I think the Giants they might be in the area where you have a surplus and they feel like, ‘Hey, we might be able to give away a guy if you give us something we like.’ So, maybe they call the Giants and go that route.
The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 10, following Week 10, allowing both teams plenty of time to see how their season unfolds and what needs they have entering the second half.
