Chicago Bears: Should Ryan Pace Make Big Move for Richard Sherman?

Will the Chicago Bears make an aggressive move for Seattle Seahawks star cornerback Richard Sherman?

The Chicago Bears have the makings of a strong defensive front seven. If they can get their secondary on the same level, the Bears will all of a sudden have an impressive defense to work with. Adding an elite cornerback to the mix can take the Bears defense to that level. That was the thinking when the Bears were showing so much interest in Stephon Gilmore early in free agency.

Ryan Pace and company were not able to take the extra step with Gilmore but they may have an opportunity to land an even better number one cornerback. The Seattle Seahawks are reportedly shopping cornerback Richard Sherman around the league, with Sherman himself seemingly wanting to get shipped out of Seattle.

Sherman is a legitimate shut-down cornerback who has become a star for the Seahawks. However, they are paying him $11 million per year and he is a constant headache. Plus, the Seahawks do not even ask a lot out of the cornerback position in their defense. They could replace Sherman with a younger and cheaper version without hurting their defense much, if at all.

According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, the Seahawks are looking for a “very good player plus a high draft pick” in exchange for Sherman. Clearly a top-tier player at an important position, the Seahawks are in a great position to ask for a big return.

Should the Chicago Bears get Involved?

The Bears are a team in an interesting situation. They went 3-13 last season but are under a lot of pressure to win soon. If Pace and head coach John Fox can not turn this thing around quickly, they are both going to be without jobs. So, the Bears are probably best off building this team for the long-term around their loaded 2016 rookie class. However, Pace and Fox may have other ideas.

Adding Sherman to the mix would undoubtedly make their defense much better. However, is he worth the capital that you are surely going to have to give up to get him? Not to mention, Sherman will be looking for a long-term extension from whichever team trades for him.

Robert Zeglinski of Windy City Gridiron floats the idea of the Bears offering offensive lineman Hronnis Grasu and their 2017 second round selection (36th overall) to the Seahawks. I am sure the Bears would make that swap for Sherman, but as Zeglinski notes, the Seahawks would be unlikely to make that deal.

Sherman is an elite cornerback who would instantly take the Bears defense to the next level. If they could get him for something like the trade mentioned above, fine. He is worth that kind of return. But the Chicago Bears are not in a position to give up multiple long-term assets for a 29-year-old cornerback.

Next: Bears Complete Seven-Round 2017 NFL Mock Draft

Pace and Fox going all in on Sherman to save their jobs would be a bad move for the long-term health of the Chicago Bears franchise. When it comes down to it, I say the Bears should pass on Sherman.

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