It's no longer a matter of speculation; the Chicago Bears are actively shopping around for a pass rusher.
Reports of Chicago calling about players like Haason Reddick have been contradicted by other notions that the Bears are satisfied building their defense with in-house talent.
This week, however, Chicago's desire to acquire a pass rusher from beyond Halas Hall was fully revealed. The Bears were reportedly "heavily involved" in negotiations for the New England Patriots' four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Matthew Judon, who ultimately landed with the Atlanta Falcons, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
"While the Bears were heavily involved in Matt Judon trade talks, the Texans also showed some interest," Fowler said. "The Patriots had a healthy market for him, ultimately leading to a Falcons deal."
NFL insider Jordan Schultz also provided insight into the trade discussions for Judon, asserting that the Bears were right there with the Falcons as the final two teams working out terms with the Patriots.
"Several teams were interested in Matthew Judon, but it ultimately came down to the Bears and Falcons, with Atlanta finalizing the deal," Schultz said.
It's clear that the Bears want to pair Montez Sweat with another dangerous pass rusher, and they'll likely keep surveying both the trade and free agent markets for the right fit.
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