Bears can't let dream fit slip out of their hands in first round of NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears need to address the defensive line in the 2026 NFL draft, and it does not really matter how they do it.

They need to identify the best fit and start bringing young talent to the front. One player who could be a great fit on the interior is Kayden McDonald from Ohio State. Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic went through some of the best player-to-team matches in the draft, and he found McDonald to the Bears as one of the most seamless fits.

"He’s a versatile 6-foot-3, 330-pound run stuffer, with an ability to chase and find the ball outside his square. McDonald has better long-term pass-rush potential than Williams and could be a legitimate three-down three-tech, because of his ability to slide over to nose when the moment requires. A long-term duo of McDonald and Gervon Dexter Sr. in the Windy City sounds like a successful one"
Nick Baumgardner

Is Kayden McDonald the best fit for the Chicago Bears in 2026?

This is a rather popular pick at 25 for the Bears anyway, so it is not shocking to see. With Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter, Neville Gallimore, James Lynch, and Kentavius Street, you can argue that edge rusher is a bigger need. However, none of them are long-term players, three of them are end-of-the-roster pieces, and one of them is well past his prime. Adding some youth and talent would not be crazy.

The two biggest notes may come down to Baumgardner thinking that McDonald has upside to be a better pass rusher in the NFL. Most assume that he is a late first- or early second-round player because he is excellent against the run but limited in his pass rush. If he can untap more from his pass rush, this is going to be a value when the Bears select him.

The other note is that he feels that McDonald can grow with Dexter moving forward. There are just as many questions for Dexter as for some of the other players. Dexter only has one year left on his contract, and if the team does not extend him this offseason, there is a good chance that he will enter free agency.

So, Dexter and McDonald may fit long-term, but there is a real question as to whether that will happen. There may be just as much of a chance that he is a replacement for Dexter down the road.