It is good to be Nahshon Wright these days. The cornerback was an afterthought when the Minnesota Vikings cut him last year. He’d already been traded from Dallas after failing to carve out a role with the Cowboys as a 3rd round pick. It was then that the Chicago Bears came calling. They needed cornerback depth, and their new secondary coach was Al Harris, who’d coached Wright in Dallas. He didn’t know it yet, but this would set the stage for a career breakout nobody saw coming.

Injuries slammed the Bears secondary before training camp even began. Jaylon Johnson hurt his groin while training at home. Kyler Gordon’s nagging issues resurfaced as well. Before anybody knew it, Wright was in the starting lineup. Over the next four months, he collected 5 interceptions and 7 total turnovers, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. Now he’s set to get a significant raise as a free agent next month. However, from the way he spoke in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio, he’s really hoping to stay in Chicago.

Keep in mind, he was not prompted to say this.

Nahshon Wright faces a difficult situation.

Under normal circumstances, the Bears would likely work hard to keep him. There are just several factors that get in the way. For one, the team has already sunk a ton of money into the cornerback position. Johnson and Gordon both received lucrative extensions from the team over the past couple of years. Teams almost never pay three players at one position. It’s a bad allocation of resources. Then there is the fact that Wright, for all his success, was anything but a lockdown corner.

He is what you’d call a feast-or-famine player. Either he was making a big play or the opponent was. That doesn’t mean he has no value. Ballhawk corners can be vital to the success of a defense. The problem is you must be willing to live with the reality that he isn’t someone who can smother top opposing receivers. That is why Chicago isn’t likely to give him an extension. At least not one he or his agent will be happy with. It would have to be team-friendly, and it’s a near certainty Nahshon Wright would get more on the open market.

At that point, it becomes about how much he can live with. Careers in the NFL don’t last long. Players seem duty-bound to get as much money as they can before their bodies can’t handle it anymore. As much as he’d like to stay, Nahshon Wright can’t afford to take a steep discount.

We’ve long established that Caleb Williams dreams big. He made it clear from the moment he entered the NFL that his goal was to not only win a championship, but chase Tom Brady’s record of seven Super Bowls. Will he get there? Unlikely, but that won’t stop him from pursuing the crown. Williams is wired that way. He doesn’t want to be the best right now. He wants to be the best ever. So it shouldn’t be overly shocking that the Chicago Bears quarterback has equally big ambitions for the 2026 season.

Williams appeared on Maxx Crosby’s podcast last week and was asked about his goals moving forward. He made it clear he wants the Bears to be the NFL’s #1 offense. However, it is never that simple with him. He’s also chasing another milestone: the #1 offense ever. That title is currently held by Peyton Manning’s 2013 Denver Broncos, who scored 37.9 points per game. That is a mountaintop he wants to climb and is dedicating this entire offseason to making a run at it.

Caleb Williams certainly doesn’t do things by half.

The Bears averaged 25.9 points per game in 2025. That is a respectable number for this franchise, considering its long history of ineptitude on that side of the ball. Yet asking it to clear 30 per game, much less 38? That is beyond bold. Remember, the 1985 Bears still hold the franchise record with 28.5 points per game. The team came the closest since 2013, topping out at 27.8. No Bears team has cracked the 30 mark since 1956. It’s also worth noting that no NFL team has even 35 since 2018.

Now this doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Williams’ talent is undeniable. He has sky-high potential. Having Ben Johnson running the offense also makes such a feat far more realistic. His 2024 Detroit Lions team averaged 33.2 points per game. It is also worth noting the Bears accomplished what they did last season despite several key players battling injuries. If they can keep everybody healthy and find a quality left tackle to shore up the offensive line, things become more interesting.

This goal hinges on the Bears’ young talent.

One thing that tends to make up these all-time great offenses is a collection of all-time great talent. The 1998 Vikings had Randy Moss and Cris Carter. The 2000-2001 Rams had Isaac Bruce, Tory Holt, and Marshall Faulk. Those 2018 Chiefs had a prime Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. This Bears teams has the makings of such a group. Much depends on how it develops. Colston Loveland already looks like another Kelce-caliber player. The question is can Rome Odunze or Luther Burden reach similar heights to some of the previous receivers mentioned.

Health and dedication to the craft will determine that. Caleb Williams seems to believe the Bears have the pieces in place. It’s all about finding the consistency needed to execute. For all the explosive plays last season, Chicago was only 7th in offensive efficiency. Most of that came from their rushing attack. Williams knows this. He admitted his completion percentage was a big problem and it’s something he is working hard to correct. If he succeed, this lofty goal might not be totally insane.

We’re approaching the time of year when trades start happening. There is always a series of moves before the start of free agency. That day arrives on March 11th. The Chicago Bears are no strangers to it, having secured Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson at this time last year. That is why rumors tend to arrive thick and fast. One involving the Bears just popped up this past week, involving wide receiver DJ Moore. It isn’t a secret his down season last year and large contract have made some wonder if his days in Chicago are numbered.

MisterTD is an account on Twitter (X). He claimed the Bears and New York Giants are engaged in trade talks centered around a player swap. Moore would go to New York, while Chicago would receive pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The logic behind the trade is straightforward. The Giants are about to lose wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson to free agency, while star Malik Nabers is coming off a season-ending knee injury. They need more credible options for young quarterback Jaxon Dart. Conversely, Thibodeaux will be a free agent next year. New York has already paid Brian Burns and must set money aside for Abdul Carter in the future. They can’t afford to pay Thibodeaux, so trading him makes sense, and the Bears badly need another quality edge option.

There are some problems with this DJ Moore rumor.

For one, the Giants aren’t in the greatest position to make this kind of move. Yes, they do need help at wide receiver. Would Moore provide that? Of course. The problem is cap space. New York currently has just $5 million available. That isn’t close to enough to handle Moore’s $28.5 million hit. They have ways to find more cap space, but several involve moving money down the line through restructures. That is something teams often prefer avoiding. So they would have to really want Moore to do this, unless the Bears sweeten the deal with draft capital.

On the other side, there is no question that Thibodeaux would give Chicago’s pass rush a jolt. Last season was a frustrating one for him, notching only 2.5 sacks. However, much of that came from health problems. The edge rusher missed the final seven games of the season with a shoulder injury. In 2024, he missed five games due to a wrist injury. You can see why the Giants are reluctant to pay him. Still, he had 11.5 sacks in the last season he played a full season in 2023. It would be a calculated gamble for the Bears.

This trade will be predicated on Thibodeaux’s contract.

As stated above, he is in the last year of his rookie contract. He’ll be a free agent in 2027. This entire trade is centered around one question: Would the Bears see him as a long-term option or a rental for 2026? If it’s the former, they might be willing to give up a decent draft pick along with Moore to get the trade done. On the other hand, if they know they won’t want to sink a massive contract extension into a, to this point, unreliable player, then they won’t give up much in the way of draft picks.

Let’s be honest. This entire trade idea feels unrealistic. Yes, the simple idea of DJ Moore for Thibodeaux works because it helps both teams fill key needs. The problem is the numbers don’t add up when crunched. New York doesn’t have the cap space to spare. Chicago doesn’t like taking risks on players with known health issues. Maybe this rumor is correct, and both teams are prepared to give it a try. Still, it’s probably best not to buy into this idea too much. Other options exist for both sides.

When listing the top needs for the Chicago Bears going into 2026, defensive tackle is competing with edge rusher and safety for that #1 spot. Andrew Billings and Chris Williams are free agents. Grady Jarrett disappointed last season. Shemar Turner tore his ACL. Gervon Dexter is in the last year of his contract. That group badly needs an infusion of talent. One would think Bears general manager Ryan Poles plans to address it in the upcoming draft this April. There is a big problem with that.

Consensus is growing that the quality of the incoming defensive tackle draft class is not great. There are no clear-cut studs in the group, and the depth isn’t all that great either. Ben Solak of ESPN evaluated every position group in the 2026 class, judging them by top-tier talent and depth. From his assessment, defensive tackle is the second-worst of the lot, only beating out the quarterbacks. This feels like a clear warning to the Bears. If they want one, they may have to get him early or not at all.

10. Defensive tackle

Good year to need … John Franklin-Myers

Bad year to need … an impactful defensive tackle on third down

Can the draft class save the defensive tackle-needy teams? Not really! There is no sure thing along the defensive interior in the 2026 draft class. For those teams already secure with their 2026 starters, there are some high-upside swings, though. Peter Woods (Clemson) entered the 2025 season as one of the top draft prospects overall, and while his stock fell some following a down year, the potential is still clearly there for a game-wrecking 3-technique. Caleb Banks (Florida) looked to build on a strong 2024, but he lost all but three games in the 2025 season to a foot injury.

Both will likely go Round 1 not just because the class is generally poor, but because defensive tackle is such a premium position and many teams will enter the draft with needs unanswered by free agency. Those who miss out on Woods and Banks will go after Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter or Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, but both are true nose tackles who aren’t ready to impact the pass rush often in Year 1.

Ryan Poles didn’t heed this warning last year.

In 2025, one of the worst position groups was linebackers. That meant it was inadvisable to take one in the later rounds. Nevertheless, Poles took Ruben Hyppolite in the 4th. That doesn’t seem like a great decision. Conversely, running back was considered loaded and the Bears scored Kyle Monangai in the 7th. This should serve as an important lesson. If you are dead set on addressing a specific position, the weaker it is, the earlier you should strike. Carson Schwesinger was an outstanding linebacker for the Cleveland Browns last season. Why? It’s probably because they took him at the top of the 2nd round.

For all the talk about edge rushers, this year’s class is said to be stacked with them. It should be far easier for Ryan Poles to find good ones in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th rounds. He should also be able to find safeties and linebackers as well. Unless there is an early run on defensive tackles, which there could be, that is the spot the Bears have to focus on. Now, there could be a situation where a player at a different position is graded far above everybody else. In that case, you take the best player.

However, if the grades are close, the wise decision is to get that interior guy early.

The Chicago Bears have a big decision ahead of them with the 25th overall pick. General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson have built real momentum after their 2025 class performed well. If they can put together another good group, the team will be primed for a serious playoff push. The tricky part is determining two things: who will be available and who the Bears will take. That first part is tough because there is no telling what other teams might do. There are always surprises. As for the second? That is somewhat easier.

Given the information we have available before the scouting combine, here is a rundown of all the names connected to the Bears at #25 over the past month. I will remove the ones they are unlikely to take, explain why, and then provide the ones with the best odds of hearing their name called.

Chicago Bears options out because they’ll likely be taken earlier

• EDGE Keldric Faulk (Auburn)
• OT Monroe Freeling (Georgia)
• DT Peter Woods (Clemson)

Faulk is a rare breed with great size, long arms, and athleticism. His dominant flashes on tape make it highly unlikely he drops far enough. It is the same for athletic tackles who can pass protect. Freeling proved that countless times for Georgia. Woods has the best odds of dropping, but he’s such an athletic specimen with accompanying power that it’s hard to imagine a team not taking a calculated risk on him despite the consistency issues. We saw it with Walter Nolen last year.

Out because of age issues

• EDGE Akheem Mesidor (Miami)
• EDGE Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)

Mesidor was dominant for most of last season for the Hurricanes. Make no mistake. He’d be a top 10 pick if he were two years younger. Unfortunately, he will turn 25 this season. NFL teams are reluctant to invest 1st round picks in players who may not have a long shelf life. That includes the Bears. In the past three years, only one 1st-round pick by Poles was over 21 years old. Howell turns 24 this year as well. The Bears don’t mind taking swings on such players, but not until day two at the earliest.

Out because of health issues

• OT Francis Mauigoa (Miami)
• OT Max Iheanachor (Arizona State)
• S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)

Mauigoa is plenty tough, but it’s worth noting he had bilateral shoulder surgery in college, which repaired both shoulder joints. That is a red flag for his longevity in the NFL. Iheanachor had foot surgery and experienced elbow issues as well. Not ideal for a player who needs both to function at a high level. As for McNeil-Warren, he’s reportedly dealt with shoulder problems. Considering the physical style he plays with, that might be something that pops up more than once in the pros.

Top five most likely Chicago Bears targets at 25th pick

5. LB Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas)

Allen’s defense didn’t take off in New Orleans until linebacker Demario Davis arrived. His mixture of intelligence, athleticism, tackling, and blitzing prowess made him the perfect weapon for Allen. When you look through the options in this draft class and ask who is most like Davis? That is Hill. He’s big, athletic, intelligent, handles coverage well, and collected 17 sacks as a blitzer across three seasons for the Longhorns. He’s been compared to Bobby Wagner in draft circles, who played the same style of game. The problem is he doesn’t play what Poles would call a “premium” position. That is the main reason he’s at the bottom of the list.

4. S Dillon Thieneman (Oregon)

Never let this important piece of information become ignored. The Bears have four safeties coming out of contract next month. Four. That includes both of their starters, Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. They don’t have the money to bring everybody back. A far likelier approach will be to retain one and then hunt for a replacement early in the draft. Thieneman is often called the quarterback of the defense. He knows how to get teammates lined up, has the size to make tackles, and is opportunistic in coverage. His versatility allows him to play almost anywhere. Allen loves utility pieces like that. Still, Chicago hasn’t taken a 1st round safety since 1990. It’s also not a premium position either. That makes it difficult to see this happening.

3. EDGE Gabe Jacas (Illinois)

Up until now, most projections have the Illini standout going in the 2nd round. Yet when you watch the tape, see the athleticism and power combined with his production, it’s not hard to imagine him jumping into the 1st round. Unlike many pass rushers who explode during one year, Jacas saw his steadily grow over time. He was better each year. That is usually a surefire sign that a player is ready for the NFL. His explosiveness and strength would be two big assets. The primary concern is his size. At 6’3″ and 260 lbs, he’s on the average side for a defensive end. Allen almost never deploys undersized edge rushers unless they are elite athletes. So this one is a tricky sell based on his track record as a coach.

2. DT Caleb Banks (Florida)

Think about this. Would you draft a player who is almost an exact replica of Gervon Dexter but a little more explosive with the 25th pick? That is the situation the Chicago Bears will face with Banks. His size, length, and power all mirror Dexter to a surprising degree. It looked like he was destined for a massive breakout after notching 4.5 sacks in 2024. Unfortunately, an injury derailed his season last year after just three games. Still, he showed all those qualities, including a considerable burst, at the Senior Bowl, dominating drills. Allen loves size and power up front. Banks checks all of the boxes. He’s still more projection than polished right now, so there is a risk factor involved. Otherwise, he’d be the obvious choice.

1. EDGE Zion Young (Missouri)

From a physical standpoint, he’s the real deal at 6’5″ and 262 lbs. His arms have the desired length, and there is no doubt about his power base. He showcased it for everybody at the Senior Bowl. Last season was a major breakout for Young, racking up 6.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for a loss. He totaled 55 pressures overall, making it clear he was a nightmare to block. If you look at body type and playing style, Young closely resembles guys like Cameron Jordan and Trey Hendrickson. Both were outstanding players for Allen in New Orleans. Everything lines up: health, age (21), position, body type, talent level, and play on film. If Young is available at 25th overall, everything points to him being the Bears’ pick.

Chicago Bears president Kevin Warren caused a media firestorm on Thursday with two questionable decisions. First, the team asked the Illinois legislature to cancel the scheduled hearing on the megaprojects bill that would’ve provided the property tax certainty the team had been looking for. Then, right after news of that hit, he issued a public statement about Indiana passing a bill that would help the team’s efforts to build a stadium in Hammond. It was a complete shock to Illinois politicians, seen as a moment of bad faith after weeks of positive progress.

Apparently, it didn’t sit well with George McCaskey either. The Bears’ owner was said to be “livid” with Warren over the blunder, adding it to a long list of disappointing moments in a three-year saga of trying to get this stadium off the ground. Now it appears Warren is rapidly trying to walk back his comments from a few days ago. He issued a statement to Danny Ecker of Crain’s Chicago Business. He insisted the team continues to work with Illinois leadership and hopes to build on the progress made.

After jolting Illinois leaders by praising Indiana’s stadium push, the Chicago Bears now say they are moving forward on legislation in Springfield.

“We continue to work with Illinois’ leadership and appreciate the progress being made,” Bears CEO Kevin Warren said today in a statement to Crain’s.

The shift in tone comes two days after the team hailed an Indiana House committee’s approval of a stadium finance authority in Hammond as the “most meaningful efforts in our stadium planning efforts to date” — a statement that drew a sharp rebuke from Gov. JB Pritzker, who said he was “surprised, dismayed and very disappointed” by that messaging.

Kevin Warren was not prepared for this.

The entire selling point of his hire was his experience with the process of getting a new stadium built. He was with the Minnesota Vikings organization when they set out to construct U.S. Bank Stadium. That process was mostly smooth. No doubt he’d be able to handle the same challenges in Illinois. It didn’t take long to realize that he’d gone from easy mode to impossible. This state has a long, storied history of nasty politics, especially when so much money is involved. Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that the Bears would receive no taxpayer money to fund the stadium.

Instead of working through the process, Kevin Warren seemed to get flustered. He reopened the team’s search for a new home, making a strong push for a new downtown stadium complex despite everybody knowing it would never work for several reasons. When that failed, having wasted months of time for no reason, Warren returned to the Arlington Heights plan. Again, the state refused to cooperate with his preferred timeline, and that is how Indiana came into the picture.

It got the intended reaction from Springfield, and negotiations finally picked up. Yet rather than let things progress, Warren couldn’t help himself. Like any self-promoter, he had to get his name in the news cycle again with that public statement, and now it’s costing him.

Warren’s future in Chicago is murky at best.

This entire situation has been a mess from start to finish. Right now, it appears the original plan will go through. The Bears will receive assurances from the state on their infrastructure and property tax obligations, and then fund the stadium construction themselves. However, that may not be enough to guarantee anything for Kevin Warren moving forward. It was always felt that his time in Chicago was temporary. Even after he arrived as president, many felt he viewed it as a stepping stone to his ultimate goal: becoming NFL commissioner.

After the series of fiascos that have dotted the timeline of this stadium deal, it’s hard to imagine Warren even staying in his current position for long. The McCaskeys brought him in solely for his expertise at negotiating stadium deals. Not being able to do the one thing you were hired for is not a great sign. It wouldn’t be shocking if he’s fired at some point after the dust settles.

The Chicago Bears are $10 million over the salary cap. First, they must find a way to become cap-compliant before the new league year begins on March 11th. Then they must create enough space to actually do business. That might require some uncomfortable moves in the near future. It’s already anticipated that they will release linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, which would bring $15 million in relief. Some wonder if tight end Cole Kmet might be another consideration as well.

Though his productivity dipped in 2026, the former 2nd round pick showcased his continued value with excellent blocking and two of the most clutch plays of the season with his touchdowns against Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Teammates love him. Coaches love him. He’s become a trusted voice inside the locker room. Still, releasing him would net another $8.4 million. They have Colston Loveland in place. Maybe this is a sacrifice they have to make. Fortunately, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune thinks the Bears have something else in mind.

“Kmet is signed through 2027. He has a $8.9 million base salary with a $1 million roster bonus (due the fifth day of the league year) and a $100,000 workout bonus for each of the next two seasons. So that’s $20 million total. His cap hit is $11.6 million for each season, and there’s no guaranteed money remaining in the deal.

I think an extension for Kmet would be likelier than the Bears trading him when you consider how significant tight ends are to Ben Johnson’s offense. The Bears could extend Kmet’s contract with a goal of reducing his cap figure for this season, but they also would have to see him being a significant part of the offense in 2028 and maybe 2029.”

Extending Cole Kmet makes sense if the money is right.

With Loveland likely to command the bulk of pass targets moving forward, the Bears must be careful about how much they’re willing to pay Kmet. Conversely, he might be wary about an extension because he could receive more from other teams that badly need tight end help. Much of this idea hinges on how much Kmet wants to stay in Chicago. It’s his home, and he’s already made really good money to this point. He also has a clear role in Ben Johnson’s offense, even if it isn’t as a regular pass catcher.

Cole Kmet is a hometown kid. It was his dream to play for the Bears, and he has been living it. He just got his first taste of real success in 2025. Johnson is building something here. Perhaps he’d be willing to take a discount to stick around. Besides, he’d be under contract until his 30th birthday. Lots of players wish they had that kind of long-term security. Primarily blocking tight ends make around $7 million per year in the NFL right now. Given Kmet’s value as a receiver, that seems like a favorable number to start with.

There is no reason to think Kmet can’t contribute long-term.

That is the primary reason for doing an extension. He already proved he can be valuable in Johnson’s offense. If Loveland ever gets hurt, they’d have him ready and able to step into the primary tight end role. One of the problems with teams is that they never work to keep good tight end pairs together. You’ll find the best ones weren’t for longer than a couple of years. Keeping Cole Kmet and Loveland together could give Chicago the best tight end tandem in NFL history. That is another reason for the extension.

We’ll see how the Bears approach it. Will Kmet be receptive to the idea? He has no more guaranteed money left on his current deal. How much the team is willing to offer in an extension will probably play a big part in negotiations. If things go as hoped, the Bears will secure a key part of their offense into his 30s and clear extra cap space to help make the roster better this season.