2026 NFL Draft Team Needs & Predictions: Bears

This is the sharp end of Round 1.

Picks 25 through 28 belong to teams that won double-digit games and fully expect to be playing deep into January again. The Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, and Houston Texans aren’t looking for identity — they have one. They’re looking for reinforcement.

At this stage of the draft, the conversation shifts.

It’s no longer about fixing glaring weaknesses. It’s about strengthening pressure points before they become problems. Depth in the trenches. Secondary insurance. A rotational pass rusher. A long-term successor at a premium position.

For teams this good, the margins are razor-thin.

A missed tackle in the Divisional Round. A protection breakdown in the fourth quarter. A lack of depth when injuries inevitably strike. That’s often the difference between hosting a conference championship and watching it from home.

Late-first selections can also be strategic:

• Planning ahead for looming contract extensions
• Replacing aging veterans a year early
• Adding cost-controlled impact talent to balance a top-heavy cap sheet

In this batch, we break down:

• The biggest roster holes for each franchise
• Contract situations and future cap implications
• Which positions should be prioritized for veterans and rookies
• Potential fantasy football implications

These are the teams that are already good.

The goal now? Stay that way — and get better.

Up next: Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, and Houston Texans.

Salary cap contract information provided by Spotrac.

• Fantasy Football Research & Advice
• Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
• 2026 NFL Mock Drafts
• Fantasy Football Trade Tools
• NFL Team Needs: Raiders, Jets, Cardinals, Titans (2026)
• NFL Team Needs: Giants, Browns, Commanders, Saints (2026)
• NFL Team Needs: Chiefs, Bengals, Dolphins, Cowboys (2026)
• NFL Team Needs: Falcons, Ravens, Buccaneers, Colts (2026)
• NFL Team Needs: Lions, Vikings, Panthers, Packers (2026)
• NFL Team Needs: Steelers, Chargers, Eagles, Jaguars (2026)
• NFL Team Needs: Bears, Bills, 49ers, Texans (2026)
• NFL Team Needs: Rams, Broncos, Patriots, Seahawks (2026)

Pick 25: Chicago Bears

2026 Free Agents:

• QB: Case Keenum
• RB: Travis Homer
• WR: Olamide Zaccheaus, Devin Duvernay
• TE: Durham Smythe
• OL: C Ryan Bates, OT Braxton Jones, G Jordan McFadden (RFA), LT Theo Benedet (ERFA)
• EDGE: Joe Tryon, Daniel Hardy (RFA), Dominique Robinson
• DL: Andrew Billings, Chris Williams
• LB: Amen Ogbongbemiga, D’Marco Jackson, Jalen Reeves-Maybin
• CB: Nick McCloud, Nahshon Wright, Elijah Hicks
• S: Kevin Byard, Jonathan Owens, Jaquan Brisker, Jaylon Jones, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
• ST: Scott Daly

2027 Free Agents:

• RB: D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, Brittain Brown (RFA)
• WR: Maurice Alexander (RFA), Qadir Ismail (ERFA), John Richardson (ERFA)
• TE: Stephen Carlson, Jonathan Garvin, Nikola Kalinic (RFA)
• OL: RT Darnell Wright (CLUB), G Kyle Hergel (ERFA)
• EDGE: Noah Sewell, Jamree Kromah (ERFA)
• DL: Gervon Dexter
• LB: Tremaine Edmunds, Nephi Sewell
• CB: Josh Blackwell, Tyrique Stevenson, Dallis Flowers, Terell Smith, Dontae Manning (ERFA)
• S: Dominique Hampton (ERFA), Gervarrius Owens (ERFA)
• ST: Luke Elkin (ERFA)

Team Needs: S, DT, EDGE, LB, CB, OT

The Bears have done an excellent job surrounding their young QB, Caleb Williams, with a top-shelf offensive line and play-making receivers. Luther Burden and Colston Loveland both showed out in the second halves of their rookie seasons, and that growth is expected to continue into Year 2 under HC Ben Johnson.

Burden finished the season (combined regular and postseason) 7th in yards per route run (2.34).

Loveland finished the regular season top-5 among TEs in PFF receiving grade and yards per route run (1.97). From Week 7 onward…the Bears TE ranked top-5 in targets, catches and yards (26% target rate and TE4 in PPG at 11.1). Only Trey McBride had more receiving yards per game (61/game) compared to the Bears’ TE.

The former Michigan product also went NUCLEAR in the first round of the playoffs: Loveland recorded 8 receptions for 137 yards on 15 targets against the Packers, with the majority of his production coming when he created separation. Loveland generated 111 yards on 6 receptions (10 targets) when wide open (3+ yards of separation), while adding 94 yards on 4 receptions (6 targets) on vertical routes. The rookie tight end particularly excelled against zone coverage, where he hauled in all 8 of his receptions for 137 yards on 13 targets via Next Gen Stats.

Cole Kmet also has an out in his contract, so the team could move on from him to shift MORE focus toward Loveland. The Bears’ offense did so over the team’s last four games when Loveland commanded a whopping 28.5% target share (nearly 12 targets per game).

However, the Bears love to use two-TE sets… so I don’t think they’ll dump Kmet given the value he adds to the offense.

The Bears’ offense used 12 personnel on 32.5% of their offensive snaps this season, the 7th-highest rate in the league, including a season-high 57.7% in Week 18 against the Lions.

In 12 personnel this season, they averaged 5.6 yards per play (8th-most in NFL) and a 45.5% success rate (8th-highest).

Now, WR could become a need if the team trades DJ Moore. Veteran Olamide Zaccheaus is also a free agent.

Moore could have several trade suitors because of how long he has been in the NFL (2018). Could reunite with Joe Brady in Buffalo (overlapped in Carolina). Per the Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, Bills GM Brandon Beane has a history of making trades with Bears general manager Ryan Poles.

Worth noting that Bears backup QB, Tyson Bagent, could be on the move to a QB-desperate team this offseason. Could he be a potential backup to Michael Penix Jr. for the Falcons? A move to Atlanta would reunite him with GM Ian Cunningham.

On the offensive line, the starters from last year will all return. And looking ahead to 2027, OT Darnell Wright is the only one who needs a new deal, but the Bears have the fifth-year option. Offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo is also expected to miss most of next season, so there is a need for tackle depth. Theo Benedet is an ERFA.

D’Andre Swift has been rumored to be a trade/cut candidate entering the last year of his deal. The Bears found something in 7^th-rounder, Kyle Monangai, but he is best deployed as part of a tandem. Monangai finished sixth overall in rushing success rate (also had zero fumbles) in his first season. Finished RB29 overall and as the RB30 in PPG.

The Bears definitely need to address their defense more than their offense if they want to repeat as NFC North Champions. Odds are they won’t have the same defensive turnover luck two years in a row. They finished 29th in yards allowed (29th in yards per carry allowed) and 31st in pass-rush win rate (ESPN).

Three of their starting safeties are FAs.

More linebacker depth is advised after they were defeated by injuries in 2025. Tremaine Edmunds has a clear out in his contract, according to The Athletic.

I think they would benefit from another run-stuffer and edge rusher. DL Gervon Dexter is entering the last year of his contract.

Note that the Bears will get back edge defender Dayo Odeyingbo (torn Achilles) and second-year defensive interior Shemar Turner (torn ACL) back from season-ending injuries.

Perimeter CB Nashon Wright is also an FA. CB Tyrique Stevenson will be in the last year of his contract.

Poles wants to go BPA with the 25th overall pick. Also mentioned wanting to enhance the defense’s speed. Ben Johnson emphasized a need for more pass rush, according to Eli Ong.