The Chicago Bears entered the offseason with a number of tasks on their to-do list. Among them was upgrading the supporting cast around quarterback Justin Fields in hopes that it would accelerate his development.

General manager Ryan Poles did a great job, as the Bears’ offense will feature plenty of new faces and upgrades. The flashiest move was landing wide receiver D.J. Moore from the Carolina Panthers as part of the trade package for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

With their first-round pick, Chicago bolstered their offensive line, selecting Tennessee tackle Darnell Wright. He will slide right into the starting lineup, presumably at right tackle, along with free agent signing Nate Davis at guard. 

Also in free agency, tight end Robert Tonyan was signed to pair with Cole Kmet. Running backs D’Onta Foreman and Travis Homer were signed as well to offset the loss of David Montgomery, who signed with the Detroit Lions.

For the first time in a long time, the Bears have a set unit heading into training camp in the trenches and weapons galore surrounding Fields. But, with so many additions, it means some subtractions have to happen.

One player to keep an eye on as a potential trade candidate, in the opinion of Jake Rill of Bleacher Report, is 2022 third-round pick, Velus Jones Jr. The versatile weapon is now facing an uphill battle for a roster spot, let alone playing time, with all of the added competition and Rill believes he is one of the likely trade candidates for the Bears.

“Jones has a lot of potential upside, but he’s also already 26. He doesn’t have quite as much of a long-term future as some of the other receivers deeper on Chicago’s depth chart.

So the Bears may want to consider flipping Jones for a draft pick, especially because it’s not even a guarantee he’ll earn a spot on their roster in training camp. If he’s not likely to make the team, then a deal would make more sense.”

Right now, it is safe to say that Moore and Darnell Mooney are ahead of Jones on the depth chart. Chase Claypool should be as well, but he is having his own issues this offseason. In the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Bears also selected wide receiver Tyler Scott.

Velus has an intriguing skill set, but with the rule changes made to kickoffs, his value has been diminished. With so many new faces on the roster, if the Bears can acquire a draft pick in exchange for him, it is a deal they would likely pull the trigger on.