The 2026 NFL Draft: A Primer To Start the Thought Process
There are still a few weeks left in the season but it’s time to think about the draft
The Chicago Bears are not a ship without a rudder any longer. They are moving in the right direction after years of heading down the wrong path. This team is starting to set itself up for a big future and needs a few more pieces to make itself a stronger contender.
Looking Ahead
Of course, football coaches will always tell you that they are never looking ahead to the “next game”. In this case, we aren’t talking about the next game. Instead, we are going to start thinking about the next phase of this team’s journey, and that is the 2026 NFL Draft. Yes, you might be thinking that it’s a little too early to begin thinking about the draft, but trust me, it’s not. The draft is a key piece of the puzzle for the Bears to prepare themselves further to meet the challenges of winning in their division and eventually making the playoffs.
To understand more about how to look ahead when it comes to constructing a team, we must look at what the Bears have done in the past. There are many of us out there, including this writer, who feel that general manager Ryan Poles has not, in certain instances, done a great job of drafting talent. We remember such “flops” as Velus Jones, for example, and a handful of other players who have not had success with the Bears or any other team.
Some of the picks have just not been pro-worthy.
What’s to say that Poles isn’t going to have another draft like what he has had in the past? There is one person who can stop Poles from making more mistakes.
That person is head coach Ben Johnson.
The Johnson Effect
You can bet that Johnson had a huge part to play in the Bears’ 2025 NFL Draft. His fingerprints are all over the first draft the Bears had since he was hired. Offensive firepower was abundant, with a sprinkling of a couple of defensive players. The Bears were going all-in on Johnson’s vision, and he had a request. That was to get some key offensive talent to help him run his offense.
The players who were picked must have been more of a Johnson choice than perhaps a Poles choice. So far, a few of them have seen some success. Tight end Colston Loveland is starting to show up big time. Luther Burden III has shown flashes when he’s not been in concussion protocol. Kyle Monangai had a huge game against the Cincinnati Bengals and may have been the best pick in the draft for the Bears (so far).
Johnson’s influence might have kept Poles honest in his draft process and likely improved it. We must still wait and see how these guys turn out in a couple more years, but things are looking good for a few of them.
Another draft like this last one, and the Bears might be better competitors in the long run and win more games in 2026.
The Draft Needs in 2026
The Bears are already making their draft plans for 2026, even though the season is not over. They are evaluating college talent and determining which players they plan to target going into the offseason. Their needs are becoming much more evident. The team has several needs at several positions, and these must be addressed during the impending offseason. Some of the needs include positional depth and starting ability on defense, as the defense is the weakest unit. The Bears must focus on defense to get where they want to be.
While defense isn’t Johnson’s specialty, he can have some influence on who the Bears take on that side of the ball draft. Hopefully, both Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen get a say in what Poles does.
We know the Bears need an edge rusher and some more depth in the secondary, particularly at cornerback. They could be in the hunt for an interior lineman on the defensive side, also. The defense is a big sore spot and needs to be healed through the draft.
On the offensive side, the Bears might look at the running back position, although they may be somewhat set there. Much depends on what the team decides to do with DeAndre Swift during the offseason. You know that Monangai is going to be sticking around because he’s been a good running back, and the Bears have a home for him. The team might look at adding some depth along the offensive line, as the group is aging but still stable.
The 2026 NFL Draft is getting ever closer as the season starts to wind down. Soon, we will know what the Bears will look to do to make themselves better. We can only hope they will do enough to make it a great 2026 and keep pushing towards the playoffs.
