As Chicago Bears fans know all too well, the NFL Draft can get a bit chaotic and unpredictable if a pick occurs that no one was expecting.
The Bears might be able to see that become a reality within the first 24 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft before they pick at 25. There are all kinds of scenarios that could happen that might flip the whole draft on its head in ways no one could have thought of.
For Chicago, the unthinkable in the top half of the draft would actually be preferred. If crazy things happen in the first 24 picks, that only means the Bears are about to fleece the rest of the NFL.
The Bears might have scenarios unfold where they get a steal at 25
One of the biggest dominoes that Bears fans need to monitor is Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and where he could land. If a QB-desperate team ends up moving ahead of the Bears to draft Simpson, that only opens the door for someone to drop to them at 25. That would be a dream to see a team reach on Simpson and let another player slip through the cracks.
The wide receiver position will be one to watch with Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson seeing his stock plummet in the draft. That might open the door for Bears general manager Ryan Poles to do two things: stun the league and trade up for him or potentially move back in the draft to have a team select him. Poles is all about picking the best available player while also considering options to collect on draft picks.
Another thing Poles might be watching is how the edge rusher position goes. It appears that some who were considered top-20 picks are starting to drop in mock drafts now, which could allow the Bears to land one of the top pass rushers in the draft if they want to.
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Poles has a lot of pressure on him during the 2026 NFL Draft with the Bears being so close to being Super Bowl contenders, but with the team being strapped for cash, he needs to use the draft to round out the roster. If he can hit another home run draft class like 2025, this Chicago team is going to make some noise in the upcoming season.