CHICAGO — Ben Johnson dragged the Chicago Bears into the playoffs last season, but the magic trick is over. Entering the 2026 NFL Draft, the front office faces a glaring reality. Caleb Williams threw fireworks all season. The defense, however, leaked oil. Despite leading the league with 33 takeaways, Dennis Allen’s defensive unit surrendered a back-breaking 361.8 yards per game, ranking 29th in the NFL. You cannot survive January football when opponents march down the field at will.
Walking out of Soldier Field after that Wild Card win over Green Bay, the freezing wind couldn’t cut through the pure adrenaline in the stands. Fans felt a championship window opening. But raw emotion doesn’t stop the run. Free agency gutted the secondary, stripping away Tremaine Edmunds, Jaquan Brisker, Jonathan Owens, and Kevin Byard, who led the NFL with 7 interceptions last season. While replacing defensive backs is critical, the absolute priority sits right in the trenches.
The Draft Capital: Hunting for Heavyweights at Pick 25
General Manager Ryan Poles cannot ignore the interior defensive line. Montez Sweat brings the heat off the edge, logging a team-high 10.0 sacks last year. Gervon Dexter flashed potential with 6.0 sacks. But the interior remains incredibly vulnerable. Grady Jarrett currently lines up next to Dexter. Jarrett turns 33 before training camp opens, and his tank is running dangerously low. Adding veteran journeymen like Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, and James Lynch provides warm bodies. It does not provide dominance.
When Chicago goes on the clock with the 25th overall pick, they need a true anchor. Enter Christen Miller. While early scouting rumors inaccurately linked him to Clemson, the 6-4, 321-pound Georgia Bulldog is the exact wrecking ball this defense requires. Miller spent his college career tossing SEC linemen aside like ragdolls. He operates with heavy hands, tremendous balance, and explosive power at the point of attack. In a two-gap system, Miller sheds blockers instantly, clogging the middle and ruining run schemes before they develop.
Edge Rush Options: Mesidor and Young
Sweat started last season stuck in the mud, registering just 1.0 sack in the first 5 games. Opposing offenses double-teamed him relentlessly because Chicago lacked a terrifying threat on the opposite edge. If Miller comes off the board early, the Bears must hunt for elite edge rushers.
- Akheem Mesidor (Miami): The 6-3, 259-pound edge rusher absolutely terrorized ACC quarterbacks last season, racking up 12.5 sacks. Mesidor possesses lethal first-step quickness. He easily slides inside to defensive tackle on passing downs, creating endless mismatch opportunities.
- Zion Young (Missouri): A towering 6-6, 262-pound bruiser. Young brings pure, heavy-handed violence to the edge. He spent two seasons at Michigan State before transferring to Mizzou, where he perfected the art of wearing down offensive tackles deep into the fourth quarter.
“You can’t win in this league if you can’t stop the run and hit the quarterback. We got lucky a few times last year. Luck runs out. We need dogs in the trenches.”
— Montez Sweat, Chicago Bears Defensive End
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
The NFC North is a bloodbath. Green Bay and Detroit will spend all summer figuring out how to neutralize Caleb Williams. If the Bears want to repeat as division champions, they must relieve the pressure on their depleted secondary. A dominant defensive line masks flaws in coverage. Drafting a force like Christen Miller or Akheem Mesidor forces opposing quarterbacks into rushed, panicked throws. That is how you replicate last year’s takeaway numbers without surrendering massive yardage. The 2026 season hangs on what happens at pick 25.
