NFL draft: Ranking the Chicago Bears’ positions of need after free agency
Other than an odd deal here or there, NFL free agency is in the books. The Chicago Bears addressed several needs and added a lot of veteran depth. The draft is less than two weeks away.
The Bears have seven picks, including the No. 25 selection in the first round and two second-round picks. So what are the priorities for general manager Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson heading into the draft?
Here’s a look at the team’s biggest areas of need — and several prospects who could be available. 1. Edge rusher When a team finishes near the bottom of the league in quarterback pressure rate, edge rusher has to be a top priority.
The Bears head into 2026 with Montez Sweat and Austin Booker as the top defensive ends on their depth chart. Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner are next up, but both are returning from season-ending injuries — Odeyingbo a torn Achilles and Turner a torn ACL. The Bears need depth on the edge, but it’s about more than depth.
They need a difference-maker to play opposite Sweat. Booker could be poised to emerge as such, but that’s no guarantee. In his second year, Booker missed the first half of the season with a knee injury but recorded 4½ sacks over the final 10 games.
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