Do you understand why the Bears traded Jordan Howard?

The Chicago Bears traded Jordan Howard to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 6th round pick in 2020, but if certain conditions are met, that pick could increase to a 5th-rounder.

Those are the facts of the deal.

From a schematic and a business perspective, the Bears were comfortable moving on from a player that has averaged better than 1,100 yards a season in his three year career.

Howard had the sixth most carries in the league in 2018, and he would likely have seen a decrease this season. So, by moving him now instead of waiting for him to walk as a free agent, then hoping that he signs for huge money to get a comp pick back, the Bears took the guaranteed draft compensation the Eagles offered.

And for those that think Howard is now going to get the Eagles a higher comp pick...

If the Eagles net a 6th or a 7th round comp pick if Howard walks as a free agent, that will still be far lower down the board than the 6th (or 5th) the Bears received from Philadelphia.

General manager Ryan Pace has been shopping Howard for a while now, and he probably could have received more had they traded him a year ago. But today, Howard’s trade value is what the Eagles gave him. If there was a better offer on the table, the Bears would have taken it.

Yes, it sucks that the Bears aren’t getting a mid-round pick in this year’s draft, but that’s just the nature of the position these days.

As a fan of Jordan Howard, and a fan of old school power football, I would have liked to have seen him carrying the rock for the Bears for the next several years, but I understand why the Bears did what they did.

Today’s poll question will require some thought, because I’m not asking you if you like or agree with the trade, I’m asking if you understand why the Bears did what they did. Judging by social media and by our comment threads, this is a polarizing topic, so before you weigh in with your answer be sure to take a breath.

Think about the big picture of the NFL in 2019 and think about what kind of team the Bears will have in 2019.

Now think about where a player like Jordan Howard fits in that.

The future of the Bears’ offense is all about Mitchell Trubisky’s development, and finding a running game to complement his skill set is all the Bears need. That’s not to say if they find the next Le’Veon Bell in the draft they won’t feature him, but don’t expect to see a Bears’ tailback getting 300 touches any time soon.

Like it or not, the running back position has been devalued by teams. Only the truly versatile guys are getting paid, and several teams are quick to move on from a back once their rookie contract runs out.

Right now the Bears have Mike Davis, Tarik Cohen, and Cordarrelle Patterson all set to get carries, with a rookie running back a sure bet to be added to the mix. Nagy likes the committee approach to his backfield and he likes the luxury of lining them up anywhere in the offense.

The Bears could have kept Howard, but his touches would have declined in the committee, and then they’d have nothing to show for him walking after the 2019 season.

I may not like that the Bears traded Howard for a low pick, but I understand the situation surrounding the move.

So, what do you guys think? Now that you’ve had some time to reflect after the trade, do you understand why they made the deal?