There are going to be plenty of positions the Chicago Bears are going to target in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the defense will have more attention than anything.
Chicago has been focused on revamping the defense, with four starters in the secondary gone and depth needing to be built in that unit and on the defensive line. One position that hasn't been talked about as often but might get some attention is linebacker.
FanSided's Ryan Fowler reported that the Bears will be meeting with Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder as well as the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers having scheduled time with Rolder. He played the last four years with the Wolverines and was a starter in 2025, racking up 73 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass deflections, one interception, and one fumble recovery.
Bears meeting with Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder
Rolder is a projected Day 3 NFL Draft pick with a lot of upside. He's considered to be one of the best tacklers at the linebacker position in the draft and has great instincts for finding the ball carrier.
The Bears need to add some more depth to the linebacker position, as they already have Devin Bush, T.J. Edwards, and D'Marco Jackson in the starting linebacker group. Chicago selected a linebacker on Day 3 of the draft, as the Bears selected Ruben Hyppolite II in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Linebacker is not a high priority of a position as Chicago needs to find a pass rusher and safety in the early rounds. The Bears also have to prioritize finding a center and a wide receiver on Day 2 or 3 of the draft.
Read more: Past Ben Johnson connection just makes too much sense for Bears to sign
Rolder could end up being a really nice pick on Day 3 for the Bears as the team tries to figure out how to get the defense on the same level as the offense for 2026.