Bears expected to focus on improving defense in NFL Draft
With four picks in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft this weekend, the Chicago Bears are expected to try to shore up their defense, particularly their pass rush, in an effort to build a consistent playoff contender.
General Manager Ryan Poles spoke briefly at Halas Hall on Tuesday and didn't take questions, but he did say that after picking up right tackle Darnell Wright's fifth-year option, they will work on a long-term extension for Wright in the near future. The Bears' starting right tackle was Poles' first 1st round pick as general manager at 10th overall in 2023.
The Bears are coming off their first playoff berth since 2020, but Poles, head coach Ben Johnson, and the players have put 2025 in the past, and so has Jeff King ahead of his first draft as new assistant general manager, saying his focus is on helping to build the team into a consistent winner.
"It's one of the best football cities that you can be in when you're winning, and that's our charge to keep it there, but that doesn't come easy," King said. "We have to reset, we have to restock, and perhaps start over. So I think Ben hit it, Ryan hit it. You know, last year was last year."
Most of the pre-draft prognostications have the Bears eyeing some pass rush help with their first pick this year.
"That is a position that is a premium spot, and we've heard Poles over the years talk about the emphasis you need to put on solving premium positions. The Bears didn't do that in free agency. They still could use a starting defensive end, and by all accounts one's going to be available there," Chicago Sun-Times Chicago Bears beat reporter Patrick Finley told CBS News Chicago. "One will be there that will make them happy. I think that's the most likely course of action."
King wouldn't specifically say they're targeting any position, but as far as an overall goal, they want to "create competition for the roster," with four picks in the top 89 of the draft, and make the staff have some hard decisions at the end of training camp.
"Create hard decisions that we have to make come the start of the season, add guys to our building that compete daily. That's our goal," he said.
The Bears have some clear areas of need, especially on a defense, with glaring holes at defensive tackle, safety, and cornerback. But King emphasized their approach to the draft will be to take the best player available and maybe the best person as well, both with the 25th overall pick in the 1st round, and throughout the draft.
"The goal by the end of the weekend is to add talent, competition, bring the right football players and the right character into the building," he said.
The Bears haven't drafted a defensive player in the first round since taking linebacker Roquan Smith at 8th overall in 2018. Their last five first-round picks have all been offensive players.
The best player available mantra that served the Bears very well last year especially, with their top two picks of tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden. Loveland finished the season as the team's leading receiver, becoming the first rookie to lead the Bears in receiving yards since wide receiver Willie Gault in 1983 and the first rookie tight end to do so since Mike Ditka in 1961.
Despite limited usage in the first half of the season, when he didn't crack a 30% snap share in the first seven games, Burden finished the year with 652 receiving yards, and two 100-yard games thanks to an expanded role on offense in the second half of the season.
Running back Kyle Monangai, a 7th round pick last year, also played a pivotal role on offense, totaling 783 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the regular season and playoffs. The Bears finished the season as the only team in the Super Bowl era to have three rookies with at least 650 yards from scrimmage, with 947 for Monangai, 711 for Loveland, and 689 for Burden.
The Bears are likely hoping to have a similar impact on the defense with this year's draft.
"That was a tremendous draft, first of all, and a tremendous draft for their offense. They need the defensive version of that," Finley said.
The Bears currently hold 7 draft picks:
- 1st Round (#25 overall)
- 2nd Round (#57 overall)
- 2nd Round (#60 overall) from Buffalo Bills in the DJ Moore trade
- 3rd Round (#89 overall)
- 4th Round (#129 overall) from L.A. Rams
- 7th Round (#239 overall) from Philadelphia Eagles via Browns
- 7th Round (#241 overall)
The NFL Draft is in Pittsburgh this year and begins with Round 1 on Thursday at 7 p.m., Rounds 2-3 on Friday at 6 p.m. and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday starting at 11 a.m.