With the Chicago Bears' need for an edge rusher this offseason, one NFL analyst predicts the team will strike a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals for their star $21 million edge rusher in a trade that involves one or more picks.

Recently, Andrew Freeman of Bear Report predicted that Chicago would work out a sign-and-trade to nab Hendrickson, whose $21 million extension with the Bengals expires at the end of the 2025 season.

What else speaks to Hendrickson’s importance? The droves of trade ideas making the rounds, such a recent one that suggests the Chicago Bears could get him from the Bengals in return for a third-round pick, courtesy of Bear Report’s Andrew Freeman:

And it’s especially evident with former head coach Matt Eberflus entering the conversation, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler: “Former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is involved in the #Bengals defensive coordinator search, per sources.”

The Cincinnati Bengals are focused on the upcoming season, and one of their first steps is to find a new defensive coordinator to improve one of the team's weak spots. One of the potential candidates is a former head coach who was fired in November.

In January of 2022, newly named Chicago Bears general manager, Ryan Poles chose to hire Matt Eberflus away from his job as defensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts after the 2021 season.

The NFL playoffs are approaching a fever pitch with Super Bowl LIX just around the corner. The league is also set to recognize the best of this season's individual talent at the annual "NFL Honors" awards show,

Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Saquon Barkley are finalists for The Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff and Dan Campbell have been named finalists for MVP and Coach of the Year, respectively.

Marcus Freeman helped turn around the Notre Dame Fighting Irish after a disappointing loss to Northern Illinois and earned himself a prestigious honor as a result.

Halas Hall is haunted by past failures, but the Bears may have stumbled into a good hire. He’s creative and fiery and he runs the dang ball.