What NFL Execs Thought About the Chicago Bears' 2026 Draft Class
The Athletic's Mike Sando asked NFL execs about the NFC's 2026 Draft Class. Here is what some NFL higher-ups had to say about the Chicago Bears' rookies.
Time is the best way to properly evaluate a team's draft. However, in the NFL, time usually isn't on the side of general managers, coaches, players and fanbases, who want nothing more than to see their beloved team succeed sooner rather than later. Although it's impossible to determine what the Chicago Bears' 2026 Draft Class will become right now, it's interesting to hear what NFL execs had to say about general manager Ryan Poles' latest haul of rookies.
The Athletic's Mike Sando spoke with NFL execs about the NFC's 2026 Draft Classes, and here are some takeaways from the seven newest players added to coach Ben Johnson's roster. One of the surprises from the Bears' draft was the team not selecting an edge rusher. The Bears didn't sign one in free agency, either.
The Bears finally added to the defensive line position with their final pick in the sixth round by selecting Georgia Tech interior defensive lineman Jordan van den Berg. "Maybe they should have traded up? " one exec told the Athletic.
Before the Bears selected Iowa center Logan Jones with the 57th overall pick , nine defensive linemen were drafted, and the New England Patriots moved up in the draft to select Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas two picks before the Bears were set to pick in the second round. If the Bears really wanted to address the edge rusher position, the team could have done that with the 25th overall pick, but the team followed their big board and selected Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman . The Bears lost both starting safeties from a season ago in free agency, so the Bears signed Coby Bryant, who had just won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks, and used their top draft capital by selecting Thieneman -- a pick that resonated with one NFL exec.