The Chicago Bears finalized a very strange 2026 NFL Draft class. While the Dillon Thieneman selection at the end of the first round was rightfully met with applause, Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson went off the beaten path with some of their Day 2 and Day 3 selections.
The Bears may have found solid value at certain points, but their decision to neglect some key areas of need may not be well-received in a year when they need to retool the roster to keep pace with the rest of the NFC North.
These three roster holes stand out like a sore thumb, and Poles needs to find some way to address them.
3 roster holes Bears must fix after mixed 2026 NFL Draft
3. Offensive Tackle
Given the uncertainty with regard to where Ozzy Trapilo is in his recovery from a serious injury and the lack of great options on the free agent market, it was mildly surprising that Chicago didn't at least try to bring in a depth signing.
A healthy Trapilo coming back in the middle of the season can answer this question emphatically, but that is still quite a way away, and there is a chance that Caleb Williams' blind side will be manned by a rotating cast of characters who fail to impress.
2. Wide Receiver
The Bears did add one of this draft's fastest players in Zavion Thomas with a third-round pick, but they took him multiple rounds too early. Luther Burden III and Kalif Raymond will be in line for a good chunk of targets, and there is reason to believe that both of them will have limited upside
Even with Chicago leaning on Rome Odunze as a No. 1 wide receiver, he himself has not shown that he is capable of shouldering that load. The Bears must be banking on their Sam Roush-enhanced tight end room shouldering the bulk of the pass-catching load.
1. Defensive Line
The Bears didn't address this area until they took Jordan van den Berg in the sixth round, and he is more of an athletic traits lottery ticket than a player who will be expected to contribute early. In terms of traditional edge pass rushers, Chicago did not make an addition here, to the surprise of many.
Read more: Jeremy Fowler's new report reveals Bears' true plans in second round of the draft
The Bears are seemingly banking on names like Gervon Dexter and Montez Sweat once again making up for a lack of depth in this area. Not addressing this area may be the difference between replicating their 2025 success or regressing back to the middle of the pack in Ben Johnson's second season.
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