The 2026 NFL Draft is finally here, and every team is searching for a star-studded draft class to propel their team into Super Bowl contenders. The Chicago Bears are no different.
If the Bears and general manager Ryan Poles want to get this draft right, they need to shut down all of the outside noise and draft a pass rusher in the first round.
Multiple sources have stated the Bears' biggest team need heading into the draft is safety. On the surface, this looks like a smart move, especially when you factor in the departures of interception leader Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. However, when you consider the recent signing of safety Coby Bryant, the Bears should invest their first-round pick on a pass rusher when they are on the clock.
Bears need to address the pass rush situation in the first round
It's no secret that the Bears have struggled to apply pressure on the quarterback in recent years. Just last season, the Bears finished 22nd in team sacks with 35. If the Bears want to make a deep playoff run next season, strengthening the defensive line needs to be a top priority.
Make no mistake, if the Bears can find a franchise pass rusher in the first round and have him play on the opposite side of Montez Sweat, it would be a huge boost. Right now, the Bears are paper-thin at pass rusher besides Sweat, Austin Booker, and Dayo Odeyingbo. Adding a young and hungry player could be exactly what the Bears need to bolster their pass rush.
There's a reason defensive end is one of the highest-paid positions in the NFL. It's because it's so difficult to find an otherworldly talent at this position. When you do, you pay them quarterback money. This is the case in the modern NFL, and we saw it unfold just last week when the Houston Texans re-signed Will Anderson Jr. to a record-breaking $50 million per year.
Similarly, when you evaluate one common denominator on the last two Super Bowl champions, both took advantage of their depth at defensive end. The Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks didn't have the league leader in sacks. Instead, they employed a pass rush rotation that terrorized opposing quarterbacks.
If the Bears want to be in the same conversation as the Eagles and Seahawks, investing their first-round pick on a defensive end is a logical first step. If they fail to do so, it would mean they failed to address a key team need during an exciting time in the franchise's history.
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The Bears are projected to select Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk with the 25th pick, according to NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah.
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