Lincicome: The votes are in, and this Bears trade wins ‘blockbuster’ status

According to several (three) sources, the Bears have completed a “blockbuster” trade, an infrequent label for anything the Bears do, including their stadium foxtrot from city to assorted points of the compass.

Those of us curious enough to consider the truth and the worth of team doings are required to have an opinion, even if it means confronting such vagaries as draft choices and salary-cap benefits. Attention sags when math is involved.

The first thing to determine is when a blockbuster is a blockbuster, discounting the old pre-Netflix movie rental places, memories for a kinder generation, now relegated to seasonal spaces for Halloween and other holidays.

Using the dictionary definition, a blockbuster event is big and loud and significant, causing bystanders to start and ask, “What was that?”

In this case the assumption to be made must involve Caleb Williams, the only Bear loud and significant enough to qualify. Young Caleb just had to be half the trade, for Drake Maye, say, or Bo Nix, better second-year quarterbacks.

Or possibly All-Pro safety Kevin Byard for somebody equally anonymous. Anything less is hardly blockbuster worthy.

The brain does not exactly reel at the possibilities, but when it lands on DJ Moore what comes to mind is the catch that beat Green Bay, a highlight now for Williams alone.

However accomplished Williams may become, there will always be that, not the ball drops or poor pass patterns from the trio for tomorrow, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Colston Loveland, the favored (and cheaper) few of Williams and coach Ben Johnson.

There seems a bit of arrogance involved here, as if the Bears need to prove that a No. 1 receiver is whoever they say he is. Such was Moore until, curiously, he was not.

Moore was the Bears’ receiver other teams had to account for, a prized distinction, and one that neither Odunze nor Burden has yet earned.

It must also be remembered that Moore indirectly led to Williams in the Bears’ trade with Carolina that ended up giving the Bears the No. 1 pick. The Bears ended up five worthwhile players out of that deal, most immediately Moore himself.

And now, thanks, DJ, we’ll keep Caleb and you be sure to dress warmly in Buffalo.

While it is hard to find sympathy for a multimillionaire being allowed to continue to be a multimillionaire, even in Buffalo, especially in Buffalo, some sympathy is allowed for a player who has been rejected in his prime because: (a) he cost too much; (b) he didn’t sync with his quarterback; (c) he didn’t fit his new coach’s schemes.

All of that may be true, but — and here comes the opinion part — Moore was the best receiver the Bears had, however his numbers decreased, and Moore will be more valuable for the Bills than whatever draft choice (second round) comes to the Bears.

It is not as if the Bears have a stellar history in trades, though draft dickering did result at different times in Hall of Famers Dick Butkus and Dan Hampton and Mike Singletary.

Reminders more notable are, of course, insufficient quarterback Mitch Trubisky, maneuvered up the draft when Patrick Mahomes could have been had. The overestimated Justin Fields, too, fit right into the ongoing Bears quarterback agony.

Failed quarterbacks are basic to the Bears, from Cade McNown to Mike Glennon. Each misjudgment must always be ranked against the trade enthusiasm for quarterbacks Mike Phipps and, worst of all, Rick Mirer.

Tight end Greg Olsen was swapped for lint and Wilbur Marshall was allowed to get away, much the same as is possible with the Bears just now shrugging off leading tackler Tremaine Edwards.

The Bears do not, on merit, get the benefit of the doubt when matching wits with fellow NFL tinkerers.

If the salary saved by the Bears can be used to get a pass rusher, the deal may tilt a little more to the Bears, but the Bills got the best of this trade and Moore got a better quarterback, Josh Allen, to get him the ball.

So, win, win. Lose, lose. Something like that.