You can usually tell certain people have an affinity for certain positions in a draft over time. For Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles, that is cornerbacks. He has invested in the position almost every year, often finding quality talent. Head coach Ben Johnson has one too. That is tight ends. Or at least that is what it seems to be. Across his four years as an offensive coordinator and head coach, his teams have invested three draft picks at the position. That includes a 2nd round pick in 2023 (Sam LaPorta) and a 1st round pick in 2025 (Colston Loveland).
Most people came into 2026 assuming the Bears had no interest in adding more at tight end. It seems that might’ve been a mistake. Buzz has now emerged that the team is showing considerable interest in Utah tight end Dallen Bailey. This would suggest they are serious about adding another draft pick to the mix alongside Loveland and Cole Kmet. It isn’t a big surprise considering many experts feel this is one of the deeper tight end classes in the past few years. A former tight ends coach like Johnson could never resist taking advantage.
Ben Johnson may have already telegraphed this move.
Don’t forget the Bears had a chance to bring back Durham Smythe, who filled the third tight end slot last season. Instead, he signed with Baltimore for just $2.5 million. That suggests Chicago intentionally chose not to bring him back, leaving that #3 spot wide open. A team only does this because they either have somebody else on the market they want or they wish to go hunting for options they like in the draft. Based on this latest information, it will turn out to be the latter.
Johnson’s interest in Bentley is understandable. The former JUCO transfer didn’t do much for his first couple of years in Utah, serving mostly in blocking roles. That changed last year when he broke out for 640 yards and six touchdowns. He has good size, acceptable speed, and reliable hands. While not a pristine route-runner, he knows how to make tough catches and has a good feel for beating zone coverage. His skill set is similar to Kmet in many ways, which could make him a versatile weapon.
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Where there is one, there are more.
Rest assured, Bentley isn’t the only tight end the Bears are looking at. He just happened to be the one who popped up on the radar first. As of right now, the team has seven picks in the draft, but only three on day three. There is a strong possibility that GM Ryan Poles will do some maneuvering to increase that number, particularly in the 5th and 6th rounds. Bentley is projected to go somewhere in that range. Both picks were traded by the Bears in other deals.
Much depends on the preferences of Ben Johnson. He’s the expert here. There is no doubt he prefers players who have a strong blend of pass-catching and blocking capability. Loveland and Kmet both exhibit those traits, though to differing degrees. Bentley has them as well. If having two such tight ends is beneficial, imagine what three could do. Chicago is already among the NFL leaders in 12 personnel (two tight end) usage. Johnson may wish to lean into the rare 13 personnel (three tight end) area.
