The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft was a dream for the Chicago Bears, as the team was able to stay put at pick No. 25 and select safety Dillon Thieneman. Now, as the league prepares for night two of the draft, rounds two and three, Chicago has the chance to make another dream come true.
Kayden McDonald, arguably the best defensive tackle in the class, is still on the board heading into the second round. However, he probably won’t have to wait long to hear his name called on Friday night. That could be a problem for the Bears, who could use him, because they have the 25th pick of the second round (57th overall).
If Chicago waited there, McDonald would likely be long gone. Fortunately, the Bears do have the resources to move up and go get the defensive tackle. Equipped with two second-round picks (No. 57 and No. 60) and a third (No. 89), Chicago could use some combination of those three picks to move into the early part of the second round.
Ohio St. DT Kayden McDonald is staying in Pittsburgh for the NFL Draft, where he is expected to be picked early tonight. Commissioner Roger Goodell went to see McDonald after he was not selected in round one, and invited him to come back tonight so he could give him a hug on the… pic.twitter.com/IAwSEXO6rP
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2026
Bears could explore a trade up in the second round for Kayden McDonald
The trouble could be finding a team at the top of the second round that’s willing to trade back. The most likely dancing partner is the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona is a team that needs a lot, so they could be willing to move back if it means picking up an extra day two pick.
If the Bears offer picks No. 57 and No. 89 for Arizona’s 34th-overall pick, they should be able to select McDonald with the second pick of the second round. The question is whether Chicago will be able to get the deal done without including its other second-rounder. If the franchise can do that, it would be a no-brainer decision.
Read more: 4 winners (and 1 loser) from Bears' impressive Dillon Thieneman selection
McDonald is a 6-foot-2, 326-pound run-stuffing defensive lineman. In other words, he’s exactly what the Bears need as they work to improve their defense. The unit was one of the Bears’ biggest weaknesses last season, and it’s clear improving the defense will make the team more complete contenders. Chicago took a big step in doing that by adding Dillion Thieneman to the secondary on night one, now the team can make an aggressive move up on night two to invest in the trenches.
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