3 and Out: 2022 Trade Deadline
Bears make a trio of important deals and the 49ers add a crucial piece
There were a record 10 trades involving 12 players that made up the period leading to the 2022 NFL trade deadline, which came this past Tuesday.
The Chicago Bears did more than their part to make the series of days leading up to the deadline unprecedented, engaging in three of those trades, dealing two defensive stars to perceived Super Bowl contenders while stealing a gifted young wide receiver from rival Green Bay, a team many expected to collect some sort of weapon to make things better for Aaron Rodgers right away.
In short, the Bears helped cause significant ripples both in the future of their franchise as well as the immediate playoff picture of the entire league.
Addition by Subtraction
Sometimes, in sports, you have to give something up to get to where you want to go.
With their moves to trade defensive end Robert Quinn and linebacker Roquan Smith, that is what the Bears are hoping for.
Last Wednesday, the Bears dealt Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2023 fourth-round pick.
That deal seemed inevitable given Robert Quinn’s age and salary, as well as where this team is going under the new leadership of general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus.
Quinn, a year removed from a spectacular season where he set a franchise record with over 18 sacks, will look to prove to the rest of the league that he still has something left in the tank after posting only a single sack in the first eight games of the 2022 campaign.
On Halloween, the Bears then spooked some fans (and apparently Roquan Smith himself) by trading the NFL’s leading tackler to the Baltimore Ravens for 2023 second and fifth-round picks.
This one sent a little more of a shock wave throughout the Bears fan base and other observers, more negativity resulted from the response of this deal.
On one hand, that part of the response is warranted as Smith is one of the best linebackers in the league and is at a far from ripe age at 25 years old.
On the other hand, the relationship between the Bears and Smith was clearly soured after extension discussions did not go the way either side wanted earlier in the off-season.
“I didn’t plan to [get traded], but you know, life happens at times, and got traded,” Smith said at his first press conference with the Ravens on Wednesday.
Now both Quinn and Smith will look to each help their respective teams not only get to the playoffs but to win the big game in February.
The Eagles improved their league-best record to 8-0 with a Thursday night win over Houston, the first time Philadelphia has ever had that record, while the Ravens are 5-3 and atop the AFC North division.
It would be pretty sweet if those two guys were on opposite sidelines at the final game of the season.
Chase the Right Weapons
While the Quinn and Smith trades were major and changed the landscape of the league, the last deal the Bears snuck in before the deadline may be one that makes most lasting impact on the Bears.
Surprising just about everyone on deadline day, the Bears went out and traded the 2023 second-round pick belonging to them in order to receive 2020 second-round pick, wide receiver Chase Claypool formerly of Pittsburgh.
The Notre Dame product started his career on the right foot in ‘20 when he racked up nine touchdowns and 873 yards with an aging Ben Roethlisberger.
Claypool took a step back in 2021, when he only found the end zone twice, but he still racked up almost the same amount of yards with 860.
In 2022, he has struggled mightily as a quarterback carousel takes place for the Steelers, who entered the season with former Bear Mitchell Trubisky at starting quarterback. The fan favorite in the Steel City, rookie Kenny Pickett, has since taken over the role as signal caller, but his presence hasn’t led to more wins or more offensive production.
Claypool now has a golden opportunity to establish himself as one of the top wide-outs in the game as he’ll be showcased on a team that needs him with a talented quarterback in Justin Fields who seems to be improving with every snap.
It also helps that’s the Packers, who were also interested in Claypool, had to eat the loss in not making the deal and wind up not making any deals at the deadline to help their slumping offense.
Victory at Halftime
You can’t win a Super Bowl at the NFL trade deadline, but you sure as hell can lose one.
But we’re not talking about losing in the case of what the San Francisco 49ers did when they dealt for star running back Christian McCaffrey.
On October 21st, the 49ers made the first splash of the trade season by acquiring, when healthy, arguably the top running back in the league.
Since posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and 2019, McCaffrey has struggled to stay on the field these last two seasons, but fortunately for San Francisco his health hasn’t been as much of an issue in 2022 where he has played in all but one game.
A Niners team that desperately needed a boost in the running back department just got way more than it needed.
Sitting at 4-4 and tied for the lead in the NFC West with a struggling Los Angeles Rams squad, the 49ers look poised to make another deep playoff run even with Jimmy Garrapolo under center, who wasn’t welcome to the position entering the regular season.
The NFC looks more wide open than meets the eye. In that context, the McCaffrey move was the one that won the deadline and it’ll be the biggest reason for success should the Niners return to the NFC title game or go further.
One thing is for sure about the road through the NFC, though — Quinn and the Eagles will have something to say about who makes it through.
Saul Rodriguez is WARR Media’s associate producer and lead Bears reporter