The Chicago Bears’ Draft Foresight Will Be A Game-Changer This Year — Here’s Why

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles gets plenty of grief from fans for his missteps in the NFL draft over the past four years. There is no denying he’s had some missteps. Velus Jones, Zacch Pickens, and Kiran Amegadjie are frequent mentions regarding his divisive draft history. He hasn’t managed to find much star power for the team, though some recent additions might be changing that. It’s been a mixed bag. However, there is one notable strength the Bears GM has displayed in his tenure, and it could serve him well in this pivotal 2026 draft.

One of the unsung duties of an NFL general manager is looking beyond the current year at college prospects. The best ones can determine what the next two or even three drafts could look like down the road. That information could guide how they approach the current draft. Poles has been surprisingly good at this since taking over in 2022. Think about it.

Fans begged him to go offensive line with his early picks in 2022. He went defensive back instead. A year later, he added Darnell Wright in the 1st round in what experts projected was a strong class for that spot. Also, don’t forget the Bears originally held the #1 pick. People urged him to take a quarterback. Poles could’ve, but he knew the 2024 class would be much stronger and was willing to gamble on waiting. We all know how that turned out.

The Chicago Bears have excellent timing.

The draft evaluations are still being processed. Experts have indicated that 2026 will be a strong year for offensive tackles, safeties, and edge rushers. Now, line up the Bears’ offseason needs with those positions. They have no left tackle as of now. Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet are free agents. Ozzy Trapilo injured his knee and could miss all of next season. All four of their top safeties, including Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, are free agents. Last but not least, they lack a dynamic presence at edge rusher.

This class is also considered deep at linebacker. Noah Sewell is a free agent, and many predict that Tremaine Edmunds could be cut due to salary cap reasons. Obviously, Ryan Poles didn’t plan all of this, but it’s clear he knew where the roster was heading with free agents and planned to lean into the projected strengths of the incoming draft class to help fill those voids. We’ve already seen the Bears GM use this tactic multiple times. Don’t be shocked when the team ends up with some combination of a tackle, safety, edge rusher, and linebacker in the first three rounds.

History says Poles will first attack the position with limited depth.

That is to say, the position that has some great options early but will likely fade beyond the second day of the draft. When looking at each need for the Chicago Bears, it’s fair to believe that offensive tackle or safety will be the choice. There is a strong initial surge at safety, but things will fall off fast after the top four guys come off the board. As for tackle, the group has some strong options in the 1st round. The 2nd and 3rd are solid as well, but you start getting into iffy territory once you reach the 4th and 5th. It would be far better for the Bears to eye edge rushers and linebackers in that range.

Truth be told, much of this will be determined by how the board unfolds early. If there is a hot run on tackles and safeties in the first 24 picks, Poles could be forced to go for his edge rusher or linebacker immediately. Defensive tackle will also be on the table. The draft is unpredictable. Still, we already have a blueprint for how the Bears will attack this. Don’t be shocked if Poles doubles up on two of those positions before the action ends.