The Chicago Bears are in the middle of another important offseason, where they’re looking to shore up the roster and remain contenders in Ben Johnson’s second season as head coach as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches.
The Bears didn’t make any big splashes in free agency, where their biggest move was signing Super Bowl champion Coby Bryant to fill one of two starting safety vacancies left by the departing Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. Chicago also added linebacker Devin Bush, defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and wide receiver Kalif Raymond. But the Bears also suffered some big losses, including wide receiver DJ Moore, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, Byard and Brisker, as well as center Drew Dalman, who shockingly retired.
Chicago has seven draft picks that includes four selections in the top 89, including a pair of second rounders, where they can address some of their biggest needs, including defensive line, safety and offensive tackle.
Here at Bears Wire, we went position by position to break down where Chicago stands ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Quarterback
It’s a great thing when quarterback isn’t a need for the Bears, and that has everything to do with Caleb Williams’ emergence during his second season. Williams established himself as one of the most electrifying and clutch players in the NFL, where he set a franchise single-season passing record and NFL record for seven fourth-quarter comebacks in a single season. While Williams still has some things to clean up, including in the short passing game, he showed his incredible potential in this Ben Johnson offense, and the best is yet to come. Meanwhile, having a solid backup quarterback is important. While Chicago hasn’t had to rely on Tyson Bagent since Williams came to town, the Bears have a reliable backup quarterback who also has the trust of his head coach. But it certainly sounds like Bagent could eventually earn a starting job elsewhere, so it wouldn’t hurt to look for a potential diamond in the rough in undrafted free agency to potentially fill the void. — Alyssa Barbieri
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Running back
All things considered, running back is near the bottom on a list of needs for the Bears this season. While they don’t have a stud running back on the roster, they have a solid duo in D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai who complement each other well and helped contribute to the team’s third-ranked rushing attack last season. In fact, Swift had a career year while Monangai proved to be one of the best value picks in the seventh round. If there’s any need, it comes with the hole left by Travis Homer on special teams, but that doesn’t necessarily need to come in the form of a running back. — Alyssa Barbieri
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Wide receiver
The receiver room has plenty of upside with Odunze and Burden leading the way, and with Colston Loveland producing at tight end, the Bears don’t necessarily need another top-end threat at the position. Those three players alone should account for the majority of targets in the passing game. They did lose one of their most productive pass catchers, however, and while Raymond should provide a spark, they could stand to add another player to the room to develop. It’s never a bad idea to take swings at a position like wide receiver, something that was validated last year with the selection of Burden in the second round. — Brendan Sugrue
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Tight end
The Bears arguably have one of the best tight end duos in the NFL with Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet, who enter their second season together in Ben Johnson’s offense. Loveland is fresh off an impressive rookie season where he led the team in receiving while showcasing his impressive pass-catching ability, emerging as one of Caleb Williams’ favorite targets. While Kmet took a step back in the passing game due to Loveland’s involvement, he continued to be a reliable pass catcher and capable blocker on offense. The only question at tight end is who will fill the vacancy left by Durham Smythe, who served as a key blocker. Stephen Carlson is a favorite among in-house candidates, but we’ll see if Chicago makes any other moves. Still, tight end is one of the strongest position groups on the roster. — Alyssa Barbieri
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Offensive line
When the Bears ended the 2025 regular season, there was no question the offensive line was solidified for at least the next year or two. Things changed quickly. The serious injury to Trapilo and the sudden retirement of Dalman raised the need for finding quality linemen in the draft significantly. Bradbury should be a fine stopgap at center, but the Bears would be wise to find a developmental player for future seasons. And it’s risky to rely on the combination of Jones and Wills until Trapilo returns to action—and there is no guarantee he will be the same player. Not to mention Bradbury, Jones, and Wills are all set to be free agents next offseason. — Brendan Sugrue
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Edge rusher
The Bears’ biggest needs this offseason rest along the defensive line, both defensive end and defensive tackle. The pass rush as a whole is a massive concern for Chicago after totaling just 35 sacks on the year, which was the seventh-fewest in the NFL. While the Bears’ top three defensive ends — Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo and Austin Booker — are all back in 2026, the pass rush was virtually nonexistent last season. Chicago needs to add new players to the mix and find a way to pressure the quarterback if they hope to contend next season. After failing to make a move in free agency, general manager Ryan Poles needs to prioritize overhauling the defensive trenches, much like he did with the offensive line last offseason, in the 2026 NFL Draft. — Alyssa Barbieri
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Defensive tackle
The most glaring holes on the Bears roster are along the defensive line, and despite the team signing multiple players in free agency, those acquisitions aren’t going to solve the problem. Chicago’s disruption on the line last year was lackluster at best when it came to both rushing the passer and stopping the run. The Bears were a bottom-10 team in rush defense, allowing 134.5 yards per game on the ground, and were consistently swallowed up by opposing offensive linemen up the middle. And with Dexter hitting free agency next season and Jarrett becoming a cut candidate, Poles needs to retool the position group. — Brendan Sugrue
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Linebacker
The big piece for the Bears depth at linebacker will be the health and play of Sanborn, who struggled with a concussion and groin issues most of last season. Chicago did spend a fourth-round pick on Ruben Hyppolite II last year, but he has yet to make a significant impact for the team. If they want to pursue a linebacker, the likely targeted window would be in the third or fourth round if looking for another value pick, or they could wait until Round 7 and add a depth piece. — Mike Pendleton
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Cornerback
The Bears are returning two key starters in Jaylon Johnson and nickel Kyler Gordon, but there’s uncertainty at the other outside cornerback position that could be occupied by Tyrique Stevenson. The question is whether Chicago views Stevenson as a starter heading into this season, otherwise drafting a cornerback isn’t off the table here, and competition from guys like Terell Smith and Zah Frazier could shake things up. The Bears need to ensure depth at cornerback following last season, where they lost three cornerbacks before the regular season started, although Johnson and Gordon did return to play sparingly in 2025. — Alyssa Barbieri
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Safety
In life, they say safety first, and for the Bears front office, that should be their mantra going into draft week. Signing Coby Bryant was a major move to get younger at the position, bringing in a player who has championship experience and someone who fits their system. Chicago should be expected to address the safety position in the first round, or the early second round, seeing how they have two picks in that round. Several mock drafts have the Bears tied with Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, and it shouldn’t take long for them to come off the board. — Mike Pendleton
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Special teams
Special teams is one of the few spots on the roster that does not need addressing this offseason, and the veterans that are in place should carry the unit throughout the season. Santos has previously been discussed as a player that the team could move on from but he righted the ship with his performance last year. There should be no interest in the Bears to add any part of the special teams unit, especially after they spent a fourth-round pick on Taylor just two seasons ago. The only question comes at long snapper, where it’s likely to be Luke Elkin or Scott Daly, if Chicago re-signs him this offseason. A specialist being drafted usually raises eyebrows, and that is where things should stand coming into the draft this week. — Mike Pendleton
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: NFL Draft 2026 preview for Chicago Bears by position
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Brendan Sugrue and Mike Pendleton, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
