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Bears urged to trade experienced defensive lineman following 2025 roster moves

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 10:27 AM ET

Most of the attention that's been paid to Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles' offseason moves has focused on the offense. It's hard not to, especially after he hired Ben Johnson to lead the way and rebuilt the offensive line in front of quarterback Caleb Williams.

The fact that Poles drafted a tight end and wide receiver with his first two selections in the 2025 NFL Draft only magnified the offense's upgrades even more.

But the Bears also leveled up on defense. They hired Dennis Allen to be the team's new defensive coordinator, and bulked up the defensive line with free agents Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett. The 2025 NFL Draft welcomed Shemar Turner, another interior defender, in Round 2.

With Odeyingbo possessing an inside-outside skill set, questions about snap distribution are slowly creeping up. With Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter returning in 2025, reps will be at a premium; a very talented football player -- or two -- will be off the field quite often and potentially more than they should be.

And while it's great to have quality depth, it's also that depth that sparks trade speculation. And in a recent breakdown of one trade that every NFL team should make, it's Billings who could be the odd man out.

"The problem is that with Jarrett in Chicago and promising youngster Gervon Dexter also on the roster, the role moving forward for veteran nose tackle Andrew Billings is unclear," Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport wrote. "The 30-year-old has missed significant time in three of the past five seasons—including nine games a year ago with a torn pectoral muscle.

"But when healthy, Billings is a capable lane-clogger, and he could net a Day 3 pick from another club this summer—especially if a team suffers an injury along the interior of the defensive line."

Indeed, it makes sense for a team to trade from a position of depth in an effort to acquire future assets, but dealing Billings would be nonsensical.

Billings' value to the Chicago Bears' defense was established in 2024 after suffering a torn pectoral muscle that landed him on injured reserve on November 7. The pre-Billings and post-Billings Bears' defensive performances were notable. Simply put, Chicago's defense stunk without Billings in the lineup.

And while his reps may not be as high in 2025, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Defensive tackles are big dudes who expend a lot of energy. The fresher they are in the fourth quarter, the more lethal a defense can be. The Bears will be in a unique position this season because all of their defensive linemen will be fresh late in games -- and late in the season -- assuming they keep the depth as-is.

Don't expect any trades involving Chicago's defensive linemen anytime soon.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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