The Chicago Bears enter the 2026 season as reigning NFC North champions. However, as we've seen in this uber-competitive division, winning in consecutive years is almost as difficult as winning back-to-back Super Bowls.
That's why watching one of the divisional rivals get worse would be a much-needed break for Ben Johnson's team in 2026. There are still some questions about Dennis Allen's defense, and not having to face Justin Jefferson twice a year would be a massive win in itself.
Considering that, the Bears and their fans must pray that Alex Kay's latest projection comes to fruition. In a recent article, he claimed the Buffalo Bills could trade a 2027 first-, second- and fourth-round picks, 2028 third- and fifth-round picks to get their hands on Jefferson.
The Bears would love to see Justin Jefferson leave the NFC North
"While Jefferson clearly hasn't been the problem—he's amassed an eye-popping 8,480 yards and 42 touchdowns over his first 94 career games—the six-year veteran's record four-year, $140 million contract will start accounting for approximately 15 percent of Minnesota's salary-cap space during the 2027 and 2028 seasons. It's a hefty amount to commit to a player who hasn't been able to will this franchise to the next level," wrote Kay.
Of course, the Vikings will likely exhaust every avenue before even considering moving on from their franchise player. That said, it may not be up to them, since he looked unhappy with their quarterback situation last season.
More than that, Jefferson's steep salary could be a problem for Kevin O'Connell's team down the road. And while they still wouldn't want to trade him, it would be extremely hard to look the other way if the Bills were to knock on their door with such a king's ransom. That's the type of franchise-altering move that it's almost impossible to turn down.
Even if Jefferson is gone, the Vikings would still be more than set at wide receiver. They have Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, and with a potential rookie star quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft, they can certainly talk themselves into taking that deal. Still, as we've seen countless times, teams rarely get better when they move on from their best players.
The Bears have major doubts at cornerback, with Tyrique Stevenson looking like a weak link and Jaylon Johnson struggling to stay on the field. This team has done a solid job of containing Jefferson, holding him to 59 catches for 790 yards and 4 touchdowns in 10 games, including five consecutive games under 100 yards.
That said, he's still scored twice during that span, and there's no effective formula against one of the league's finest. If there's a way he can be gone and face him once every couple of years or in the Super Bowl, the Bears should strongly root for that possibility.
This is just a hypothetical scenario, and there's no way of telling whether the Bills will even want to give up such a haul for one of the best pass catchers of his generation. Still, we've certainly seen crazier things happen in this league.
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