Goal! Breaking Down the Action & Impact of Exciting Match Report
Bears scout top talent. Former Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year QB Athan Kaliakmanis visits Halas Hall, highlighting the team's draft prep.
NFL teams are allowed to have 30 draft-eligible prospects visit their facilities during the NFL Draft process. These visits can take place at Pro Days, on campus, or at the facility. Then, at the NFL Combine, teams can have more personal visits with players to get to know them better.
These local visits allow teams to get to know their prospects on and off the field ahead of the draft. This may not seem as important as the physical tests the prospects undergo, but it will play a big role in who the Bears decide to pick in April. It can also help the team identify ideal undrafted free agents, an area where General Manager Ryan Poles has found success, bringing in players like Theo Benedet, Jahdae Walker, Jack Sanborn, and others in recent years.
This year's draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from April 23-25. The Chicago Bears aren't wasting any time visiting with multiple draft prospects. The Bears addressed a few needs in free agency.
Two of the biggest ones were at linebacker and safety. General Manager Ryan Poles brought in safety Coby Bryant and linebacker Devin Bush in free agency. The Bears needed to sign players at those positions after releasing Tremaine Edmunds and losing both starting safeties, Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, to free agency.