The Chicago Bears may not have a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft due to the Jeffery Simmons trade, but that doesn't mean Ryan Poles has finalized the rest of the roster.
This team needs a few more pieces to go from frisky contender to one of the best teams without question in the NFC. The defensive line is a bit thin, and the secondary has proven to be a complete paper tiger beyond some Kyler Gordon blitzes.
With the NFL Draft process starting to ramp up, the Bears still have these five boxes to check. Caleb Williams can make up for many shortcomings on the roster, but if they want to sustain success that can thrive outside of No. 18 under center, Poles may need one more solid NFL Draft class to beef up the roster.
Chicago Bears Top 5 NFL Draft needs
5. Left tackle
Ozzy Trapilo's injury history remains very concerning, and the Theo Benedet era may be coming to a close at some point. With Williams' eventual extension poised to kick in, the Bears need to be able to find value on the offensive line. A mid-round pick would do wonders for the depth chart as a whole, especially after the Kiran Amegadjie pick.
The Bears won't be anywhere close to the top-end options like LSU's Jordan Seaton or Texas' Trevor Goosby, but this class has some solid depth at the tackle spots, and Poles must take advantage. Even an early Day 3 pick would do wonders for the Bears in terms of adding stability and security.
Possible Picks: Jaccarius Peak (South Carolina), Carter Smith (Indiana), Niki Prongos (Stanford)
4. Defensive tackle depth
Simmons is a game-changing All-Pro weapon, but he is just one man, and the Bears may need to find a long-term running mate once the Grady Jarrett era ends. Chicago may be a few steps away from giving up on Shemar Turner, but that shouldn't dissuade the Bears from picking another with a premium selection.
Defensive tackle has quietly become one of the best positions in this class, as Ole Miss' Will Echoles and Tennessee's Xavier Gillam are slowly, but surely, starting to emerge as the top players. Simmons took the Bears out of those discussions, but the second round could be the perfect time to strike.
Possible Picks; Ahmad Moten (Miami), Justin Scott (Miami), AJ Holmes (Texas Tech)
3. Running back
Kyle Monangai has been through some injury troubles of late, and D'Andre Swift is a solid back that lacks the ability to elevate a ground game by himself. Ben Johnson loves to pound the rock when his team gets ahead, which could prompt more of an earnest investment.
This running back class is not good, full stop. Florida's Jadan Baugh is the lone first-rounder, and Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy has struggled to stay healthy. Missouri's Ahmad Hardy only just returned to action. The class is thin, but the same power structure that found Monangai in the seventh round has earned the benefit of the doubt.
Possible Picks: Ahmad Hardy (Missouri), Isaac Brown (Louisville), Nate Frazier (Georgia)
2. Pass rusher
Montez Sweat is starting to take a step back, and while Austin Booker's breakout has been encouraging, it shouldn't be enough for the Bears to eschew this position in the Draft. The defensive end depth is really starting to shine as the college football season soldiers on.
The Bears may be better off landing a speedy rusher off the edge instead of a bigger run-stuffer, which could lead to their second-round pick being used to beef up the defensive line by adding a nitro boost of explosion. Even if they go with the edge-setter archetype, this class has so many variants of that type of player that Chicago would be spolied for choice.
Possible Picks: Boubacar Traore (Notre Dame), Princewill Umanmielen (LSU), Clev Luvin (Louisville)
1. Cornerback
The Bears' secondary is being held together with paper mache and Elmer's glue right now, as the decline of Jaylon Johnson and borderline untenable play of Tyrique Stevenson have made this the closest thing to an emergency on this roster. It would be a major surprise if the Bears' first pick is not used on a cornerback after how this season started.
This class doesn't have many pre-baked stars after Notre Dame's Leonard Moore comes off the board, but the strength of this class is in their Day 2 depth. The Bears are still in a position to take advantage post-Simmons trade.
Possible Picks: Zabien Brown (Alabama), Audavion Collins (Penn State), DJ McKinney (Notre Dame)
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