The Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Chargers could turn the football world upside down with the all-time biggest shocker in NFL trade history this offseason.
The Bears will likely be looking to grab a new, young franchise quarterback with their overall no. 1 pick in this year’s draft. The Chargers, meanwhile, will be looking to appease and build around new head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has talked glowingly about his Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the young man’s no. 1 pick potential.
Bears-Chargers Needs and Wants Line Up
If you size up the needs, wants, and mindsets of both teams, all could possibly mesh together and open the door for a big-time deal.
Luke Easterling of Sports Illustrated sees the possibility of the Bears and Chargers coming together to make something big happen– a deal sending the Bears’ no. 1 pick to Los Angeles for quarterback Justin Herbert:
“Conventional wisdom would indicate that one of the many draws for Harbaugh in taking the Chargers job was likely the presence of a young franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert, who has already signed a long-term contract extension with the team.
But we all know that Harbaugh is anything but conventional.
On a recent appearance on Fox Sports with Colin Cowherd, Harbaugh make the shocking (if biased) prediction that McCarthy wouldn’t just be a first-round pick in this year’s draft, but would be the No. 1 overall selection:
…If the Chicago Bears are willing to move on from Justin Fields by using the No. 1 pick on one of the top quarterbacks in this draft, could they be tempted by the Chargers to send the pick to Los Angeles in a deal that nets them Herbert?
Meanwhile, it would put Harbaugh and the Chargers in the No. 1 spot, where the old Michigan head coach would ensure that his prediction comes true by reuniting with his old quarterback in McCarthy. It would also help the cap-strapped Chargers save plenty of money by starting over with a young quarterback on a rookie contract.”
There’s some logic behind this fantastical deal that, upon first review, comes off as fan fiction.
Why Make This Deal?
Los Angeles would be able to give Harbaugh the quarterback he knows, trusts, and believes will have great NFL success. As a team $45 million over the cap, they’d also be able save some considerable money by dealing Herbert in favor of McCarthy. They could use those financial resources elsewhere.
Chicago, meanwhile, could move on from quarterback Justin Fields and pick up the young franchise QB they were looking for. But rather than gambling on USC’s Caleb Williams, they’d be picking up a young 26-year-old Herbert, who has already established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league and is tied to a long-term deal. With tons of available cap space and a second first-round draft pick this year (no. 9), plus whatever they’d get from trading Fields, they’d come away from this deal as big-time winners.
The Bears front office would be crazy to turn down this deal if it came their way, even if it would cost them a draft pick or two to sweeten the deal.
Would The Chargers Do It?
The big question is whether the Chargers would be down for something like this. Despite Harbaugh’s fierce endorsements, J.J. McCarthy is still projected as the fourth best quarterback in the 2024 draft. Plus, who trades away a prime, 20-something, successful, elite-level main stage quarterback?
However, Harbaugh IS an “outside the box” kind of guy. And if the Chargers are invested in him and his vision to create a championship legacy in Los Angeles, it’s not entirely unreasonable to think they might roll the dice on something big.
