With the NFL Trade Deadline set for Tuesday, November 10, at 3:00 PM CT, the Chicago Bears are making one thing clear: they may not be finished yet. That matters not because deadline buzz is always loud, but because it suggests the Bears are still trying to shape the roster while the market is moving around them. If this is part of the long-range Bears Schedule 2026 conversation, the immediate message is simpler: Chicago wants more defensive help now.
A week ago, Jordan Schultz reported that the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers would be two teams looking to add players in what he described as a very active trade deadline. Since then, the market has already moved once, with the 49ers trading for Buckner and the Bears trading for Jeffery Simmons. But Schultz said today on Ryan Clark’s The Pivot podcast that he does not think either team is done. In his words, he has heard both clubs connected to several defensive players, including rushers Josh Sweat, Khalil Mack and also DeForest Buckner.
What the Bears are reportedly chasing
The clearest update is that Chicago wants another pass rusher and secondary help. That is a meaningful detail because it shows the Bears are not treating their defense as a finished product, even after adding Simmons. Instead, the front office appears to be looking for more than one type of upgrade, with edge pressure and coverage help both in play.
Schultz also said there is a lot of Khalil Mack buzz for both clubs, which keeps the veteran pass rusher in the middle of the discussion. For the Bears, that connection is especially notable because Mack has been linked to the team for weeks in the background of these rumors. It does not mean a deal is coming, but it does mean Chicago is still part of the conversation around one of the bigger names connected to the deadline.
Why this matters now
The bigger point is that the Bears are behaving like a team that sees opportunity in the deadline market. Adam Schefter’s comment about teams being an indication that they are willing to trade anybody only reinforces how fluid this period can be. In that kind of environment, a team that already made one move can still find another if the right fit appears.
That is the part worth watching as the deadline approaches. The Bears are not merely reacting to rumor; they are being described as active participants in a market that could still shift before Tuesday afternoon. If they do add another defender, it would tell you Chicago believes this roster can be pushed closer to contention with one more move, not just left to develop on its own.
For now, the headline is straightforward. The Bears want another pass rusher and secondary help, and with the deadline less than a week away, that is enough to keep them squarely in the center of the conversation.
