3 Chicago Bears trades that could go down at 2022 NFL Combine

The Chicago Bears could trade Cody Whitehair to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This one is a wildcard, but maybe the Bears take a shot at engaging with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Their starting guard, Ali Marpet, just retired at the young age of 28. That leaves a big void up front for the Bucs.

Does Tom Brady actually stay retired, or do the Bucs keep the team mostly intact just in case he comes back? Maybe, just maybe, they do. If that’s the case, then they’ll need an experienced starting guard to take Marpet’s place. The Bears are rumored to potentially cut ties with Cody Whitehair to save some money, so why not flip him in a trade?

Whitehair is a former Pro Bowl lineman who can play both center and guard, giving the Bucs true versatility up front in case of injury. He still has plenty of football left, and quite frankly, the Bears would do just fine keeping him around.

The Bears get pick no. 131 in return for Whitehair, here, which gives them a pick in the fourth — one round they didn’t own a pick in beforehand.

Any one of these trades would be a win for Poles and the Bears, both for cap reasons and because they acquire more draft capital.