The Chicago Bears have made a couple trade deals ahead of Week 4, trading Jared Allen to the Carolina Panthers and Jon Bostic to the New England Patriots. The Bears have started the season 0-3 and head coach John Fox has Alshon Jeffery and Jay Cutler out again and could start Jimmy Clausen or David Fales against the Raiders.
The Bears have had a tough start to the season and now the team has traded Allen, according to Fox Sports reporter Mitch Glazer. The team later announced that the Panthers will be trading a sixth round pick to the Bears for Allen. Soon after the Allen deal, ESPN reported that the Bears traded linebacker Jon Bostic to the New England Patriots for a draft pick. Adam Schefter reported that the Bears will get another sixth round draft pick for the linebacker.
Some have suggested that the team could consider trading Matt Forte next before the trade deadline. ESPN Chicago reported earlier in the summer that Forte could be a trade candidate, as he is coming into the final year of his contract. Jeff Dickerson at ESPN Chicago writes that the team should consider deals for Forte at the trade deadline after trading Allen. Forte likely will come up no matter what the Bears say as the deadline gets closer and ESPN's Ed Werder reports that the Cowboys have not discussed any deal with the Bears. Check here for more on Forte and his future.
Allen already received a roster bonus this year at just under $12 million and the Panthers will be only on the hook for the rest of Allen's salary, which is less than $1 million, according to Pro Football Talk. Allen did not fit the scheme well in Chicago and he had his worst season in 2014 with six sacks, his lowest total since back in 2006. Allen has been one of the most consistent pass rushers in the league while active, putting up double digit sacks each year from 2007 to 2013.
The Panthers were dealing with some injury issues on the line, including with Charles Johnson and now Allen can help replace that. Bostic moves to the Patriots after previously being a second round draft pick and he has starting experience for Chicago. Bostic had 83 total tackles last season and played in 13 games. Ryan Pace said that the team felt the deals improved the Bears and heading into Week 4 the team is looking to avoid and 0-4 start.
Jimmy Clausen started for the Bears in place of the injured Jay Cutler and the Seahawks pitched a shutout against Chicago on Sunday. Clausen struggled completing just nine of 17 passes and he has zero touchdowns in two games this season. Cutler remains on the sidelines for the Bears and Fox was asked whether he has considered sitting Clausen for backup David Fales and he was noncommittal about the situation.
Alshon Jeffery missed the game last week along with Cutler and reports have the receiver hoping to come back in Week 4. According to ESPN, Adam Schefter reports that Jeffrey is "expecting" to play this week after suffering a hamstring injury. Jeffery has just five catches this season and has played in one game and the Bears offense would get a huge boost if he can play.
Check here for more on the Bears moves. Check here for more on the Bears and Forte.
