A couple of young players are switching teams in a deal that gives both a better chance of making a regular-season roster.
The Bears have sent guard Ryan Groy to New England for linebacker Matthew Wells.
Wells was a sixth-round draft pick of the Patriots this year, and it’s rare for a draft pick to get traded before he’s even had a chance to play in a preseason game. But the Patriots apparently thought Wells wouldn’t have a great chance of making their roster, and so they’ve gotten something of value for him.
That something is Groy, who signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent last year and ended up starting the last three games of the season. Groy showed some promise in Chicago last year, but the Bears’ new coaching staff apparently didn’t think Groy was a good fit in their offense, and so he’s off to New England.
Neither Groy nor Wells was likely to make the 53-player roster before this trade. If they both make their rosters on their new teams, this is a trade that worked out well for everyone.