San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert is unhappy with his contract, one that's scheduled to pay him $2.5 million in 2020, and has requested a trade, according to his agent.
"After months of unproductive talks with the 49ers about fairly adjusting Raheem Mostert's contract [which paid him for special teams] we have requested a trade," Brett Tessler of Tessler Sports tweeted Wednesday. "Disappointing that it would come to this for a guy who led all NFL RBs in YPC & helped lead them to the Super Bowl."
Mostert, 28, had a remarkable stretch of games for the 49ers toward the end of the 2019 season. He scored seven touchdowns over the final six games and averaged nearly seven yards per carry in three of those contests. He finished the season with 772 yards and eight touchdowns (5.6 yards per carry).
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With the Bears hurting for depth—or maybe even a starter—at running back, should GM Ryan Pace dial up his old buddy John Lynch and inquire about a trade?
It would be a pretty incredible story if Pace gave up a draft pick for Mostert, whom he cut from Chicago's roster in October 2016. Mostert was added to the Bears' practice squad but lasted a little over one month before being released in November that year.
Now, three seasons later, Mostert has emerged as one of the more exciting big-play threats at running back. He'd be the perfect complement to David Montgomery, considering that Montgomery's best trait is his hard running style while his least desirable skill is his long speed.
But can the Bears afford to part ways with another draft choice and pay Mostert the raise he's looking for, which apparently is a deal closer to Tevin Coleman's $4.25 million per year?
NFL
Chicago is already down a couple of picks in the 2021 draft. According to the team's website, the Bears have selections in the following rounds: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6.
No fourth. No seventh.
A player like Mostert shouldn't (and won't) command more than a Day-3 selection, but the Bears have just two in their arsenal. If Lynch was willing to move Mostert for a fifth-rounder, Chicago would enter next year's draft cycle with only a sixth-round pick on Day 3. Not great, Ryan. Not great.
Even if Mostert would be a nice jolt to Chicago's backfield, it doesn't appear the Bears can afford to make a move for him at this point in the franchise's winning curve. They aren't a running back like Mostert away from a Super Bowl, so it would make more sense to keep their picks and hope for the best with Montgomery.
Maybe Pace should've just kept Mostert around to begin with.