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.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles knew his primary objective going into the 2025 offseason was clear. He had to upgrade the offensive line. Head coach Ben Johnson couldn’t execute his high-profile offense without one. What followed was one of the most impressive sequences a Bears GM has had in years. Over the space of a week, Poles added three quality starters to their front. It started with right guard Jonah Jackson, a former Pro Bowler who’d flamed out in Los Angeles. It ended with signing Drew Dalman, a solid center from Atlanta. However, the golden egg of the lot was Joe Thuney, a trade acquisition from Poles’ former team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Many couldn’t believe the three-time Super Bowl champions willingly let Thuney go. Though in his 30s, he’d continued showing he was one of the best guards in football. Unfortunately, salary-cap issues made the decision necessary. Thuney went on to make All-Pro again and win the inaugural Protector Of The Year award at the NFL Honors. Nobody can argue the trade was a rousing success, especially with the Bears’ offense finishing top 10 in both points and yards.

Now, an interesting question arises. Could Poles do it again?

Ryan Poles knows the Chiefs remain in cap hell.

Current estimates have them being $54 million in the red at the moment. That means they must clear up not only that amount of space, but even more to conduct any sort of business this offseason. In situations like this, some sacrifices are often required. It happened with Thuney last year. Poles could potentially strike again. Would Kansas City trade future Hall of Famer Chris Jones? Such a move would net them $15.6 million, but that feels unlikely. He remains the focal point of their entire defense. That said, there is one name that should interest the Bears.

Jaylon Moore.

Last March, the Chiefs signed Moore in free agency to a two-year deal worth $30 million. It was felt he would be their starting left tackle in 2025. Things took an unexpected turn when Kansas City drafted Josh Simmons at the end of the 1st round. He soon became their starter instead, leaving Moore as a high-priced backup. He eventually did play after Simmons left the team for personal reasons, but his stint was marred by inconsistency. It didn’t help that he was switched from left to right tackle at one point. In his four starts on the left side, he allowed 12 total pressures. The run blocking was also pretty solid.

Moore is not Thuney.

Let’s be clear on that. Thuney is a future Hall of Famer. Moore has shown flashes of solid play in his limited opportunities over the past two years. Still, here is what we know. The Chiefs have major cap problems. They already have their left tackle set with Simmons. They could cut Moore, but are reluctant to do so because they’d end up paying him to play for somebody else. However, a trade would net them $14.9 million in cap space and a draft pick, helping them save face.

Conversely, Ryan Poles will have secured his team a desperately-needed insurance policy at left tackle. The price tag will likely be a late round pick. If Moore plays well this season? Great. He’ll have bought the team enough time for Ozzy Trapilo to recover. If not? No big deal. He will be a free agent next year. They won’t have to worry about paying him. It is a win-win for both sides, with the Bears having much higher potential in the deal.

It isn’t a secret anymore that the hatred of the Green Bay Packers runs deep for Chicago Bears fans. Sure, it has always been prevalent over the past century that the two teams have existed. However, over the past 30 years, that hatred has steadily come to a boil thanks to the Packers’ sheer domination over the Bears, courtesy of Hall of Fame quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. However, now that the rivalry seems to have reached a balance of late after Chicago defeated Green Bay twice last season, fans no longer fear being vocal about that animosity.

Throughout the season, people began hearing “Green Bay sucks!” chants. Mind you, these were just before or after Bears games. They were popping up in other sports. It was at a Blackhawks game one week, and then a Bulls game the next. Even the Chicago Cubs saw it happen at Wrigley Field. It turns out, those were just preliminaries for the big debut.

The 2026 Winter Olympics are taking place in Milan, Italy. Many U.S. athletes made the trip in search of gold medal glory. That includes the men’s hockey team, which took on Latvia on February 12th. When the game was tied 1-1 in the 2nd period, the craziest thing happened.

The Chicago Bears’ presence on the global stage is very real.

Seeing those chants pop up in the Chicagoland area is one thing. To see it surface across an entire ocean in another country is something else entirely. If people weren’t convinced how far the Bears’ reach was before, those doubts were put to rest with this revelation. This team has been building a strong presence overseas for years. Many believe it started in 1986, when the defending champion team traveled to England for the American Bowl. The group endeared themselves to the locals, and interest in the franchise began growing. Now they’re said to be the second-most popular team in the country behind only the Dallas Cowboys.

It is also believed the Chicago Bears enjoy a strong following in Spain, which is only 375 miles from Italy. In hindsight, it shouldn’t be a surprise that several fans, both American and European, found their way to the Olympics. One could also argue that those chants had an effect. After they happened, the U.S. went on to score four unanswered goals, crushing Latvia 5-1. Hating Green Bay seems to bring out some magic these days.

The Bears will likely play an international game this year.

Up until now, the Chicago Bears have played all of their overseas games in the United Kingdom. However, with nine international games set up by the NFL for the 2026 season, there is a strong possibility the team will make its debut in a new country. Right now, the most likely options will be Germany, Spain, or Mexico. Keep in mind the Bears were given Spain as one of their designated regions by the league, and they could market exclusively in Spain, along with the United Kingdom. It feels like the perfect time for them to make their debut in Madrid this season.

Their opponent, based on the schedule, would probably be the Miami Dolphins. They also have marketing rights in Spain as well and would be the host team. It would be a fun rematch between Bears head coach Ben Johnson and Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, who was the Packers’ defensive coordinator before being hired there. Seems rather fitting when you think about it.

********************************UPDATE****************************************

Unfortunately, new information has revealed that the video clip has been edited, with the chants artificially inserted. While still entertaining, it’s not quite as monumental as one would hope. Kudos to the Bears fan for having the ingenuity to pull something like that off.

The Chicago Bears were one interception away from reaching the NFC Championship last month. They looked like a team gaining confidence with each passing minute. Sadly, they ran into an all-too-common reality check for new playoff arrivals. Turnovers will ruin your season. Three interceptions from Caleb Williams proved fatal in that game, sending the Bears home in overtime. Still, many feel the 2025 season was a mental breakthrough for the organization. They know they can hang with the best of the NFC now. All they need is one more strong push to get over the top.

If you believe in the football gods, it might be time to start thinking 2026 will be Chicago’s year. A wild trend is emerging. The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2024. Now the Seattle Seahawks have done so this past season. What makes that so fascinating? Both of those teams lost the Super Bowl exactly 20 years prior. The Eagles fell in 2004 and the Seahawks in 2005. As we all know, the Bears tragically fell in Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts in 2006.

Is it a coincidence that they just started becoming competitive the year before that anniversary? Talk about eerie.

The Chicago Bears will need some things to happen.

Above all, they will need a jump into productivity from their quarterback and head coach combination of Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson. In their first season, the two put together an unforgettable run, totaling 3,942 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. However, Williams lacked efficiency, which hurt the Bears in the playoffs. That said, it’s reasonable to expect even better results in year two as Williams’ mastery of the offense improves. History shows that there is often a lot of magic in QB and head coach duos in their second year together.

A 3-2 record is pretty solid in those situations. There is one problem, though. The three times the pairs won the championship, all had something in common. They had great defenses to lean on. New England was 6th in points allowed in 2001. Pittsburgh was 3rd in 2005. Seattle was 1st in 2013. Miami in 1984 was 7th, but that was misleading because it really started crumbling in the second half of the season. Cincinnati was 17th in 2021. The Chicago Bears were 23rd in 2025.

The Bears face good news and bad news on that front.

They have the first half of the equation figured out. Dennis Allen has already proven himself to be a top-quality defensive coordinator. What he got out of the Bears’ defense this season was impressive, considering the array of injuries it suffered, along with their well-established weakness. The hard part is giving it a strong enough infusion of talent to turn it from takeaway-reliant to an actual tough defense. The Chicago Bears won’t have the advantage of significant cap space or high draft picks to aid in that objective.

Poles must find a way to deliver. He’s shown he can find value on that side of the ball with later picks. Kyler Gordon was a 2nd round pick. Gervon Dexter was a 2nd round pick. Austin Booker was a 5th round pick. If he devotes the majority of his top draft choices to that side of the ball, the odds are favorable that he’ll come away with at least two good players.

That would position the Bears for a legitimate run.

The Chicago Bears won’t be able to go on a spending spree in free agency this year. If they do anything, it’ll likely be one or two notable moves at most, along with the usual bargain shopping. The obvious question is who they may target in such a scenario. Most of the focus has been on key positions like left tackle, defensive tackle, pass rusher, and safety. However, former Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson thinks they may pull a swerve. He thinks they may go after Kenneth Walker.

The reigning Super Bowl MVP had another strong season for the Seattle Seahawks, going for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns. However, with Zach Charbonnet already on the roster, most feel the champs will decide to let Walker hit the market. Robinson feels the running back would be a huge addition to Ben Johnson’s offense, boasting the mix of speed and contact balance the Bears head coach loves. Don’t forget Robinson played for him in Detroit, so he knows Johnson’s preferences.

Allen Robinson knows Johnson isn’t afraid to shake things up.

People will immediately say the Bears already have D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. Why would they bother making a big move at running back with someone like Walker? Mostly because Johnson has done it before. Despite having Swift and Jamaal Williams in 2022, Detroit traded the former and let the latter walk in free agency. They signed David Montgomery as a free agent and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the 1st round. Swift is in the last years of his contract. He also has two more seasons of mileage on his body.

Releasing or trading Swift and signing Walker would be a calculated move to give the running back room a minor upgrade and maintain some stability. Current projections have the Seahawks star commanding around $9 million per year on his next contract. That is affordable for the Bears, at least compared to some of the other positions they’re expected to try, like edge rusher and left tackle. What Robinson says is correct. Not only would the Bears get a good player, but they’d also weaken the defending champions.

The Walker decision entirely depends on Swift.

Namely, what does Coach Johnson think the running back has left in the tank? He’s still only 27 years old. There is no reason to think he can’t put together at least two more good seasons before his body starts breaking down. Having Monangai spell him from time to time should only help with keeping him fresh. That said, smart teams always move off a player right before they hit their decline. Walker is squarely in his prime. He has a complete skill set that would fit perfectly in Johnson’s system.

Allen Robinson isn’t wrong about this idea. It has merit. Do the Bears really want to allocate their limited spending capacity to another running back? That feels unlikely. They already proved they can run the ball with this pairing. It would be wiser to go hunting for help at defensive line, safety, or left tackle. Running backs aren’t hard to find on the cheap anyway.