The Chicago Bears are preparing for their third game of the 2026 season, hoping to get back into the win column after a frustrating loss to Minnesota. After two weeks, general manager Ryan Poles is starting to get a feel for where their roster stands. Offensively, they have plenty of firepower to score a boatload of points at the drop of a hat. That said, there are lingering concerns on the offensive line, with center and left tackle still being sensitive spots. Defensively, they still don’t have a dominant presence up front, and their secondary remains too vulnerable against the pass.
This is why it was interesting to hear that multiple representatives from the team were spotted on hand for the SEC matchup between Texas and Tennessee, according to draft insider Jordan Reid.
This is an interesting situation. Most projections don’t have Tennessee fielding many notable draft prospects this year. The most interesting is cornerback Kayin Lee. Texas, on the other hand, is stacked with talent. Four names alone are projected to go in the 1st round alone. Perhaps most telling of all? Three of those four are offensive players.
The Bears might be giving us a window into Ryan Poles’ thinking.
By far the most appetizing name of the three, at least from the fans’ perspective, would be Colin Simmons. The 6’3″, 246 lbs defender has been one of the most dynamic pass rushers in college football for three years. He had 9 sacks in 2024 and 12 sacks in 2025. This season, he already has 2 sacks in three games. It’s no secret that the Bears need a pass rusher they can build around for the future. Simmons has been compared to Denver Broncos star Nik Bonitto because of his explosiveness, speed, and instincts.
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The greater intrigue is what the Bears might be thinking with the offensive prospects. Obviously, they won’t consider quarterback Arch Manning. They’re set with Caleb Williams. The other two names are wide receiver Cam Coleman and left tackle Trevor Goosby. Coleman is a tall, long boundary receiver with good speed, deep ball-tracking, and a quick release on his routes. Goosby is a massive blocker with length, power, and surprisingly nimble feet for his size, which allowed him to allow just 1 sack last season.
Would Ryan Poles dare go offense early again?
The Bears were certainly treated to a show.
Simmons was the star of the show, overwhelming the Volunteers’ offensive line for 5 sacks. They had no answers for him. Sadly, unless the Bears somehow end up with a top 5 pick next spring, their odds of landing him just took a considerable nose dive. The offensive guys couldn’t say the same. Cam Coleman had only one catch for 30 yards. Goosby did have a good game in pass protection. It was marred by the poor interior blocking, which resulted in Manning being harassed too often.
Another name worth mentioning is Raheem Biles. Linebacker is another position that the Bears need fresh blood at. Biles was everywhere for the Longhorns, collecting 13 tackles, a sack, and 2 tackles for a loss. It was very much a game where the defense shined. That suits Chicago just fine. Defense should be their primary focus next year after the vast offensive investments they’ve made in the past two years.
