2026 Chicago Bears Offseason Thread

[NorthsideAvenger]

Jack Sanborn is back. 

[minnesotacubsfan]

On 3/16/2026 at 8:27 AM, Derwood said:

You don’t get rich by spending your own money

SSR steal your login?

[Geographyhater8888]

Dayo will be back, Dexter will be playing for a new contract, we’ll get a healthy Turner and if we draft a dude at 25, there’s some real upside. I don’t want to sound like a homer but I think they have the potential to become a top 25 unit. 

[jersey cubs fan]

9 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

I think they have the potential to become a top 25 unit. 

Yeah. They could be top 25, if not top 23

[WrigleyField 22]

3 hours ago, jersey cubs fan said:

Yeah. They could be top 25, if not top 23

I can't see worse than top 32

[Soul]

On 3/18/2026 at 10:54 AM, NorthsideAvenger said:

Jack Sanborn is back. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

I commend them for not giving up easily

 

Chicago Bears' appeal of compensatory picks ruling still alive https://share.google/G9qmtt3yarMI825Aw

 

 

[Old Style]

horsefeathers Gooddell for robbing us of our picks. The Falcons have said repeatedly that he is their decision maker as is every other GM. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

Get rid of the horsefeathers rule then, because that is just stupid.

[Geographyhater8888]

Either the Falcons front office is structured so uniquely that Cunningham just took the same job with a fancier title or it’s some bull sh!t punishment by the league for stumbling over getting a new stadium deal approved. 

 

Edited April 4 by Geographyhater8888

[raw]

Some draft thoughts.

I've been thinking about the draft in general and how it relates to the Bears specifically. And the Bears have some very clear draft needs:

EDGE, DT, Safety, long-term C. But they could also look to add CB depth with all the injuries they suffered there last year and the loss of Wright. They could add a RB3. They should add a WR with the speed element. They could add a Mike LB of the future. And they have been sniffing around various early round offensive tackles.

Based on what Poles and Ben are saying, I think the OT stuff is a smokescreen. It honestly makes no sense to add an OT early. If you add a guy in the 1st, you've effectively ended Ozzy's Bears career. He's not going to get the draft preference over the 25th overall pick. He obviously isn't going to supplant Wright at RT. And Ozzy is too big (6'8) to be a guard. Plus, they brought back Jones and added former top 10 pick, Jedrick Wills to compete for LT.....and still have Benedet and FWIW, Amegadjie. Seems odd to panic at LT this year when you just won 12 games with nearly the exact same LT situation, but not as healthy.

I think the biggest need, on paper, is probably DT. You simply don't have enough juice there. Dexter feels like a bad scheme fit and Grady is no longer the player he was in his prime in Atlanta. Neville Gallimore is a "fit" signing, but with all 3 having outs in their contracts after the year, there is a huge long-term need here. Ideally, at 25, you'd find a building block for that position, but I don't think you really have a clean Dennis Allen fit you want to take there. 

I love Caleb Banks, but he has a broken foot and is Dexter size. Kayden McDonald was a 30-visit just yesterday, but he's also huge and limited to just a run defender (aka the Billings role, which he didn't seem to fit). And it's worth noting that Dennis Allen (with the Saints and Raiders) never drafted a DT over 300lbs in the first 5 rounds. The only sub-300 guy in the top DT group is Peter Woods, who I don't think has the length that the Bears look for.

Another thing that stood out to me was the comments from Poles and Ben about needing to get faster on defense. Where they spent what little FA money they did, they spent on getting faster with Devin Bush and Coby Bryant.

So with all this being said, in a weak draft like this, I think your strategy has to change a bit. You are going to be let down if you go into this draft trying to plug holes with 10-year starters. Just not a lot of those guys in this draft. So, I think you have to focus on scheme fit and players who have a specific role on your team for the near future. Don't get hung up on age of prospects. And have a very specific plan for each player you bring in. Most of this draft class isn't going to be getting 2nd contracts anyway.

I'd probably take a gamble with the first pick. This will likely be your only chance at finding a potential star in this draft. If you can get an older guy that is a sure producer early (looking at you Mesidor) then that's a pick I make in a heartbeat. If not, I'd shoot for the biggest upside, best athletic profile on the board, whether it would be seen as a reach or not. That player would probably be at Edge, CB, or safety for me.

After that, get your DA fit sub 300lb DT. Get more athletic on the back end of the defense. Take a swing at the most athletic linemen and back half defenders you can find. That being said, I am hesitant to go too far into the DA fits. If the Bears defense isn't much better in 2026, I think he could be the fall guy and be out. But speed also adapts well to different systems. But if the guys you pick this year aren't great fits, you're probably talking about backups anyway for the most part and using a much deeper 2027 draft to elevate the top end of the roster.

[jumbo]

On 4/3/2026 at 1:48 PM, Irrelevant Dude said:

Get rid of the horsefeathers rule then, because that is just stupid.

Did Atlanta even follow the rule to hire Matt Ryan?

[WrigleyField 22]

1 minute ago, jumbo said:

Did Atlanta even follow the rule to hire Matt Ryan?

Yes. That was explicitly the desire of all this from Fritz Pollard Alliance - to consider these President of Football roles to be considered as PFE and subject to Rooney.  This was a fairly obvious and slow running train. There wasn't some deception that occurred. 

 

And for any of the "spirit of the Rooney Rule" criticisms, FPA never wanted comp picks. So arguably it was never in the spirit of the rule to have comp picks.

[gflore34]

On 4/4/2026 at 10:39 AM, raw said:

Some draft thoughts.

I've been thinking about the draft in general and how it relates to the Bears specifically. And the Bears have some very clear draft needs:

EDGE, DT, Safety, long-term C. But they could also look to add CB depth with all the injuries they suffered there last year and the loss of Wright. They could add a RB3. They should add a WR with the speed element. They could add a Mike LB of the future. And they have been sniffing around various early round offensive tackles.

Based on what Poles and Ben are saying, I think the OT stuff is a smokescreen. It honestly makes no sense to add an OT early. If you add a guy in the 1st, you've effectively ended Ozzy's Bears career. He's not going to get the draft preference over the 25th overall pick. He obviously isn't going to supplant Wright at RT. And Ozzy is too big (6'8) to be a guard. Plus, they brought back Jones and added former top 10 pick, Jedrick Wills to compete for LT.....and still have Benedet and FWIW, Amegadjie. Seems odd to panic at LT this year when you just won 12 games with nearly the exact same LT situation, but not as healthy.

I think the biggest need, on paper, is probably DT. You simply don't have enough juice there. Dexter feels like a bad scheme fit and Grady is no longer the player he was in his prime in Atlanta. Neville Gallimore is a "fit" signing, but with all 3 having outs in their contracts after the year, there is a huge long-term need here. Ideally, at 25, you'd find a building block for that position, but I don't think you really have a clean Dennis Allen fit you want to take there. 

I love Caleb Banks, but he has a broken foot and is Dexter size. Kayden McDonald was a 30-visit just yesterday, but he's also huge and limited to just a run defender (aka the Billings role, which he didn't seem to fit). And it's worth noting that Dennis Allen (with the Saints and Raiders) never drafted a DT over 300lbs in the first 5 rounds. The only sub-300 guy in the top DT group is Peter Woods, who I don't think has the length that the Bears look for.

Another thing that stood out to me was the comments from Poles and Ben about needing to get faster on defense. Where they spent what little FA money they did, they spent on getting faster with Devin Bush and Coby Bryant.

So with all this being said, in a weak draft like this, I think your strategy has to change a bit. You are going to be let down if you go into this draft trying to plug holes with 10-year starters. Just not a lot of those guys in this draft. So, I think you have to focus on scheme fit and players who have a specific role on your team for the near future. Don't get hung up on age of prospects. And have a very specific plan for each player you bring in. Most of this draft class isn't going to be getting 2nd contracts anyway.

I'd probably take a gamble with the first pick. This will likely be your only chance at finding a potential star in this draft. If you can get an older guy that is a sure producer early (looking at you Mesidor) then that's a pick I make in a heartbeat. If not, I'd shoot for the biggest upside, best athletic profile on the board, whether it would be seen as a reach or not. That player would probably be at Edge, CB, or safety for me.

After that, get your DA fit sub 300lb DT. Get more athletic on the back end of the defense. Take a swing at the most athletic linemen and back half defenders you can find. That being said, I am hesitant to go too far into the DA fits. If the Bears defense isn't much better in 2026, I think he could be the fall guy and be out. But speed also adapts well to different systems. But if the guys you pick this year aren't great fits, you're probably talking about backups anyway for the most part and using a much deeper 2027 draft to elevate the top end of the roster.

I think stuffing the run would go a long way towards an improved Bears defense.  Being unable to effectively stop the rush was the biggest problem.  Teams being able to run set up everything and also kept the defense on the field for too long a time.  Stop the run, the QB pressures and sacks will come.

Edited April 10 by gflore34

[raw]

On 4/9/2026 at 9:45 AM, gflore34 said:

I think stuffing the run would go a long way towards an improved Bears defense.  Being unable to effectively stop the rush was the biggest problem.  Teams being able to run set up everything and also kept the defense on the field for too long a time.  Stop the run, the QB pressures and sacks will come.

I didnt say him being just a run defender was a bad thing. Just saying thats never been the type of guy that Dennis Allen goes for. 

[Geographyhater8888]

11 hours ago, raw said:

I didnt say him being just a run defender was a bad thing. Just saying thats never been the type of guy that Dennis Allen goes for. 

Why did DA have Dexter bulk up to line up at nose tackle? Was it to to eat more space to stop the run or simply for pass rushing purposes where his slow first step would be offset by adding more mass?

Edited April 12 by Geographyhater8888

[raw]

On 4/12/2026 at 9:32 AM, Geographyhater8888 said:

Why did DA have Dexter bulk up to line up at nose tackle? Was it to to eat more space to stop the run or simply for pass rushing purposes where his slow first step would be offset by adding more mass?

I didn't know he did have him add weight. I know Dexter lost a bunch of weight last offseason (based on photos), I just assume he got back to his normal playing weight based on not hearing anything either way from the team. But clearly, I could have missed that. And if so, it could have been the latter, but who knows. DA was kinda stuck with Dexter and Billings not being great fits for what he usually goes for from his interior DL.

[Geographyhater8888]

19 hours ago, raw said:

I didn't know he did have him add weight. I know Dexter lost a bunch of weight last offseason (based on photos), I just assume he got back to his normal playing weight based on not hearing anything either way from the team. But clearly, I could have missed that. And if so, it could have been the latter, but who knows. DA was kinda stuck with Dexter and Billings not being great fits for what he usually goes for from his interior DL.

I’m pretty sure it was mostly muscle he added actually. I’m hesitant to go d line in round 2 like any other premium position. Someone like Gervon Dexter is a hit in the 40’s yet you’re not really moving the needle with a rotational guy who you could just as easily find in free agency every offseason, just more expensive. You can find a day one starter at safety or even linebacker/corner at 57 and 60.

 

Edited Tuesday at 11:40 AM by Geographyhater8888

[Tryptamine]

So, what does it cost to land Dexter Lawrence? Given that you'd have to give him a large contract on top of giving up pick(s), I'm not sure I'd go much beyond a 1st. 

[Old Style]

No idea how legit this account is. 

[Bobson Dugnutt]

12 minutes ago, Old Style said:

No idea how legit this account is. 

If none of the big names—Rapoport, Schefter, Pelissero, Russini until yesterday, etc. —are reporting it, there’s probably nothing to it.

[NorthsideAvenger]

4 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

If none of the big names—Rapoport, Schefter, Pelissero, Russini until yesterday, etc. —are reporting it, there’s probably nothing to it.

Plus, I don't trust anything from reddit. 

[jersey cubs fan]

10 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

If none of the big names—Rapoport, Schefter, Pelissero, Russini until yesterday, etc. —are reporting it, there’s probably nothing to it.

Thenfldrop was seen canoodling with Todd Monken 

[Brian707]

59 minutes ago, Old Style said:

No idea how legit this account is. 

Probably as legitimate as a fart in the wind

[Old Style]

Dexter Lawrence traded to the Bengals for the #10 pick. The Giants also have #5.