2026 Chicago Bears Offseason Thread

[jersey cubs fan]

1 hour ago, bjam12 said:

Two thoughts here: either the Bears are extremely smart and are forward thinking and the rest of the league will play copycat in the future, or they are just trying to be the smartest guys in the room and it doesn't work out. 

1) Last year some were confused with the Bears selecting Loveland when they had Kmet. Well, they went a lot of 12 and it worked out extremely well. This year let's grab another skilled TE and and play a ton of 12 and 13 with 3 great blockers and athletes that can hurt you vertically.

2) Screw pass rushers we are going to cover really well on the backend with speed and good cover guys. Like someone said above, when the Bears DB's got healthy the defense ascended. This plays into the Poles line about now "QB can hold the ball a little longer". This seems risky but let's see it play out. I still think they grab a veteran DE before the season. I also think Booker is going to have a massive year. 

 

 

People were more caught up in which TE they selected than that they took a TE. The need/usage was clear. You need and can use 2. 
 

There isn’t a need/usage for 3 good ones. This is just Kmet’s replacement a year before you need it. 
 

last years draft had some good results. But doubts about Poles and the draft are about way more than last year. He’s taken a bunch of project lineman and random reaches in the 3rd/4th rounds and those guys haven’t worked. 3rd/4th rounders should contribute to your team with regularity. 6/7 round projects that fail are fine. 
 

He’s been in charge since 2022 and the defense has gotten steadily worse. The offense has improved thanks to Ben and Caleb, but you can’t pull rabbits out of asses as a Super Bowl winning strategy. They need to get better on defense and Poles has not shown anything g that suggests he capable. The “let the qb hold the ball strategy” has not worked. You will get housed by the 49ers and Rams of the world. The good QBs will love playing the Bears. They might get to a Lions level of success playing the run and gun first team to 50 wins style of football. But the goal should be better than what the Lions have topped off at. They have to at least be an average defense. 

[Derwood]

2 minutes ago, raw said:

In counting stats, sure. But Loveland was much more efficient, more explosive, and a much better blocker by all metrics. 

Warren as a consolation prize would not have sucked is all I'm saying

[UMFan83]

18 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Tyler Warren.  I believe a few of us, most especially UMFan, thought Loveland was, at least, as good, if not better than Warren.

Yeah, but I accept that I was biased lol.  Nothing against Warren but Loveland just seemed like a much more dynamic player having watched him for 3 seasons.  The fact that he put up the numbers he did his last season despite the lack of offensive talent around him (almost half their games featured a passing offense that couldn't pass the ball), was known as a strong and willing blocker, and was beloved in the locker room were all huge plusses to me.  Warren is a solid TE and would be fine here but I'm glad Loveland showed out at the end of the season and won over most of the people questioning the pick.

 

2 hours ago, bjam12 said:

 

2) Screw pass rushers we are going to cover really well on the backend with speed and good cover guys. Like someone said above, when the Bears DB's got healthy the defense ascended. This plays into the Poles line about now "QB can hold the ball a little longer". This seems risky but let's see it play out. I still think they grab a veteran DE before the season. I also think Booker is going to have a massive year. 

 

 

Plus Dayo is really motivated lol

I dunno part of me recognizes that there's such an aversion to improving the pass rush that they probably feel better about how the defense is constructed than we do.  But I also remember multiple instances in the past where Poles completely ignored a position group and then had to spend too many resources to fix it (Claypool in 2023, Sweat in 2024, OLine overhaul in 2024 offseason).

I guess it comes down to me not fully trusting Poles.  I trust him on offense for the most part but thats largely because I think Ben Johnson is a huge influence on those moves.  Because of that I thought it was a little strange but didn't flinch too much when he drafted a TE.  Defense is a mixed bag.  And Poles has had some embarrassing reaches in the past, not just players he drafted that were busts, but players he reached for multiple rounds early and proved why they shouldn't have been drafted.

If you ignore the biggest needs coming in, I do think it looks like a solid draft on paper and I think the Bears are better today than they were to end the season.  Definitely worried about the pass rush, LB depth, WR depth and LT, but I think we're in a solid spot overall and should contend for the playoffs as a floor, with SB as a ceiling.

Edited 16 hours ago by UMFan83

[raw]

4 hours ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Cam Jordan, Joey Bossa, Hasaan Reddick, Calais Campbell, Von Miller still available. Any interest there?

I'm partial to Haasan Reddick. Youngest of the group, I'd guess and kind of the anti-Dennis Allen player.

But also, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Josh Sweat are potentially on the trade market.

[Tryptamine]

21 minutes ago, raw said:

In counting stats, sure. But Loveland was much more efficient, more explosive, and a much better blocker by all metrics. 

He also missed most of training camp and wasn't involved in like the first 5 to 6 games of the season. I'd much rather have Loveland at this point.

[gflore34]

Wasn't this draft looked upon as weak in D-line overall?  If so, I genuinely wonder if, given were the Bears we're drafting, none of the potential targets moved the needle for them?  Rather than it being Poles completely ignored the D-line.

[jersey cubs fan]

1 hour ago, gflore34 said:

Wasn't this draft looked upon as weak in D-line overall?  If so, I genuinely wonder if, given were the Bears we're drafting, none of the potential targets moved the needle for them?  Rather than it being Poles completely ignored the D-line.

It was viewed as strong at pass rush and weak at DT, I believe. 
 

but it’s not just this draft. Poles had 4 prior drafts and hasn’t taken anybody who’s been a great contributor on d line. The one guy he got was an established vet he had to trade for. It’s been a recurring theme and not just an an issue that popped out via surprise retirement announcement like center 

[gflore34]

9 minutes ago, jersey cubs fan said:

It was viewed as strong at pass rush and weak at DT, I believe. 
 

but it’s not just this draft. Poles had 4 prior drafts and hasn’t taken anybody who’s been a great contributor on d line. The one guy he got was an established vet he had to trade for. It’s been a recurring theme and not just an an issue that popped out via surprise retirement announcement like center 

Agreed. Beyond this draft, as many have said, it must be by design to not prioritize the D-line with higher picks.  Booker and, to some extent, Dexter, may change a little of the narrative of Poles completely ignoring the D-line via the draft.

[CubinNY]

 I don't know horsefeathers about horsefeathers. It appears to me that Poles has his guys that he wants to draft and that's who he drafts. Weak DL class or not. IMO, he sees himself as an elite talent evaluator. It's the coach's job to put the talent together. Look at who he's drafted over the last four years. It hasn't been great and only occasionally has it been good. He lucked into Caleb, now he lucked in Matt Shaw Jr or whatever. The Loveland pick was great. Caleb was great. A few OL were very good to good, but the team is still Swiss cheese.  There is no continuity from draft to draft (I'm not sure if there should be, but at least draft for need, or figure out a way to get the players one way or the other). Caleb is one bad Soldier Field turf leg turn away from a different career. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

9 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Agreed. Beyond this draft, as many have said, it must be by design to not prioritize the D-line with higher picks.  Booker and, to some extent, Dexter, may change a little of the narrative of Poles completely ignoring the D-line via the draft.

He took one in the 2nd and 3rd round in 23 and spent another 2nd on one in 25. He probably should have taken another with a 3rd in 24. But otherwise, if we would have taken one with a 1st in either of those drafts then we are out either Wright, Rome, or Loveland.

 

 

[Soul]

1 hour ago, CubinNY said:

 I don't know horsefeathers about horsefeathers. It appears to me that Poles has his guys that he wants to draft and that's who he drafts. Weak DL class or not. IMO, he sees himself as an elite talent evaluator. It's the coach's job to put the talent together. Look at who he's drafted over the last four years. It hasn't been great and only occasionally has it been good. He lucked into Caleb, now he lucked in Matt Shaw Jr or whatever. The Loveland pick was great. Caleb was great. A few OL were very good to good, but the team is still Swiss cheese.  There is no continuity from draft to draft (I'm not sure if there should be, but at least draft for need, or figure out a way to get the players one way or the other). Caleb is one bad Soldier Field turf leg turn away from a different career. 

Not being in the draft room, I can’t say for sure.  But if I had to lay money I’d say he came up empty at RB last year and at EDGE this year. Had a guy in mind but got beat.  Because in both those cases there was a run right before his pick and he didn’t take action to move up.  RB turned out OK, luckily.  Some of that was just Ben’s ability to scheme.  This year it could just be that Poles isn’t going to throw more money at EDGE.  Not going to throw good money at bad money, so to speak.  But again I’m speculating.

Shut up about Caleb.  I already have a heart flutter. 😁

Edited 13 hours ago by Soul

[minnesotacubsfan]

4 hours ago, gflore34 said:

Agreed. Beyond this draft, as many have said, it must be by design to not prioritize the D-line with higher picks.  Booker and, to some extent, Dexter, may change a little of the narrative of Poles completely ignoring the D-line via the draft.

again, Dexter is one of the better DT's in the league at qb pressure and sacks, hes also 25 years old. If Booker continues to develop, the weak spot will actually be Sweat for not posting 13-16 sacks a year

[Geographyhater8888]

13 hours ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

He took one in the 2nd and 3rd round in 23 and spent another 2nd on one in 25. He probably should have taken another with a 3rd in 24. But otherwise, if we would have taken one with a 1st in either of those drafts then we are out either Wright, Rome, or Loveland.

 

 

Yeah. There’s been one defensive lineman selected to a pro bowl in rounds 2-3 since 2022 coinciding with NIL. Gervon Dexter is what you’re likely getting from a day 2 lineman if you hit. 

 

Edited 42 minutes ago by Geographyhater8888

[Geographyhater8888]

14 hours ago, gflore34 said:

Agreed. Beyond this draft, as many have said, it must be by design to not prioritize the D-line with higher picks.  Booker and, to some extent, Dexter, may change a little of the narrative of Poles completely ignoring the D-line via the draft.

They also drafted Turner last year and Zach Pickens. He’ll draft DT just not edge unless it’s Dom-Rob or Booker on day 3. Dexter is considered a day 2 hit for a defensive lineman at too. He’s done lots of stupid horsefeathers but I can’t blame him for any first rounds picks with how the board fell.

Right now Ben Johnson is calling the shot anyways so whatever past mistakes he made aren’t as relevant over the last 2 drafts outside of maybe drafting a couple guys too early. Cunningham is no longer there to hold his hand.

 

Edited 10 minutes ago by Geographyhater8888