NFL voice is asking the exact same draft question Bears fans are curious to know

The Chicago Bears could have a lot of ways in the 2026 NFL Draft. One option that seems to be gaining steam is a trade-up.

Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report went through the things that every team will do and what every team should do in the 2026 NFL draft. He noted that he believes the Bears will draft Cashius Howell, and that they should trade up to pick 20.

"It would be uncharacteristic, but they do have an extra second-round pick as ammo, and this is no longer a rebuilding team that needs to stockpile draft picks. You know the Chargers and Eagles are likely to be in on edges, so get bold and position yourself for a higher-ranked player in that critical spot. "
Brad Gagnon

Will the Chicago Bears trade up in the 2026 NFL Draft?

While Gagnon has to cover every team, he may have missed with the Bears on this one. First, Howell may not be a fit for Dennis Allen because he is a shorter-armed rusher, and Allen typically leans into big bodies and longer arms for his defenders.

Still, Howell is one player who may be why the Bears should not trade up, even if it is just to pick 20. The Bears have a lot of needs and could go a lot of directions in the draft. They need help on the edge, interior, and safety, and they could use depth on the offensive line across the board. This is not the team that should be tossing around draft picks.

More than that, there is not one dynamic player who would fall to pick 20 and change things for the Bears. Gagnon does not mention who they trade up for.

At edge rusher, Howell joins T.J. Parker, Malachi Lawrence, Zion Young, and even potentially Keldric Faulk or Akeem Mesidor as options who could be there at 25. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren may be there as a starter at safety and the best player on the board. Caleb Lomu could be there at left tackle. Most expect Kayden McDonald to be there at defensive tackle.

This makes it so much harder to justify a trade-up. One of, or most likely a couple of these players, is going to be around for the Bears at pick 25. They can sit back, take the best one, and then continue to fill the rest of their needs with the other picks that they have.

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