We’re just weeks away from the 2026 NFL free agency period and most of the top free agents are off the market. There are several starting-caliber talents left available, but when it comes to long-term solutions, it’s unlikely you’ll find any this late in the process.
That said, the next big event in the Bears’ offseason remains the 2026 NFL Draft in late April. After trading DJ Moore and a fifth-round pick to the Bills for a second-round pick, Chicago now has four picks in the top 90 in this next draft class.
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It’s true that the Bears could enter the draft with many of the same needs they had at the start of free agency. They still have a vacancy at safety along with free agent signing Coby Bryant, and they didn’t make any major moves along the defensive line. The linebacker position appears to be in good shape in the short term, but that’s the only position that’s actually turned out better than before.
No need to fear, the Bears have the opportunity to add plenty of talented players to their roster and plug the few remaining holes they have to work with.
Using PFSN’s mock draft simulator to simulate the picks of the other 31 teams around me, here are my final picks for the Bears in my latest seven-round 2026 mock draft.
Round 1: TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson
The way this defensive tackle class is shaping up, it appears there will be better options for the Bears’ defense elsewhere in Round 1. Peter Woods and Christen Miller stand out as the best options for Dennis Allen’s system, as Kayden McDonald, Caleb Banks, and Lee Hunter don’t necessarily fit the phenotype he typically looks for at defensive tackle. On the other hand, there are plenty of edge rushers who fit what Chicago will likely want.
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TJ Parker is one of those defenders. He’s a physical edge creator who packs a punch at the point of attack and converts speed into power very well as a pass rusher. He approaches his reps with a solid plan on how to beat the offensive tackle in front of him, and has the short-area quickness to be an immediate threat from under center. I project him strictly as a 4-3 base defensive end, so a landing spot like the Bears’ could help maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses in space.
Round 2: Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
While Allen has historically preferred bigger and longer players, he tends to opt more for disruptive defensive tackles who win with speed rather than plugging holes. The Bears don’t really have a proven player with that archetype on their roster. Gervon Dexter is fast but inconsistent in his release and tall in his pads, Grady Jarrett appears to have lost a step and Shemar Turner has a very small sample size in the NFL. Neville Gallimore better fits what Chicago needs at defensive tackle, although he is purely a rotational player at this stage of his career.
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A smaller defensive tackle, Gracen Halton won’t wow you with his ability to block blockers at the point of attack or hold his own through double teams as a run defender. Rather, it’s his stellar quickness and finesse that makes him a worthy selection for Day 2. He’s quick down the middle and agile in pursuit of the ball, and his lower center of gravity gives him natural leverage through contact. His ability to string together moves and fight to penetrate opposing backfields should allow him to make a good number of plays in the league.
Round 2 (Bills): AJ Haulcy, S, LSU
The Bears opted to play safety in free agency, signing Coby Bryant away from the defending champion Seahawks. At 26, he’s a safer long-term option for Chicago than Kevin Byard, and to this point he’s been a more impactful starter than Jaquan Brisker. However, with Byard and Brisker out, there is still a vacancy at safety in the Bears’ starting lineup, which is expected to be filled during the draft.
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Enter AJ Haulcy. After stints in New Mexico and Houston, the physical safety spent 2025 with LSU and was recognized as a first-team All-American. He’s a sturdy, hard-hitting defensive back who carries his weight incredibly well. His physicality at the finishing point as a tackler is admirable, and he is a high-motor downhill defender who attacks with good form and good pop in his pads. In coverage, he has very good coverage instincts and ball tracking skills to make big plays. Evaluators looking for center field-type safeties in this class should look elsewhere, but what the Bears need at safety plays into Haulcy’s strengths.
Round 3: Logan Jones, C, Iowa
Garrett Bradbury projects as a solid stopgap option for the Bears at center following the sudden retirement of Drew Dalman. However, he was never ranked in the top 15 in PFSN’s OL Impact Score among NFL centers, which generally indicates he is an average or below-average starter. He will also hit free agency next offseason, which could eventually leave Chicago in the market for a replacement. With the depth of this core class, this could be a good year to take advantage of.
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Logan Jones, winner of the Rimington Trophy as the best center in college football, is a tremendous athlete on the offensive line. He finished the Combine with a 9.62 RAS, clearing below-average size measurements with a stellar 1.73 10-yard split and a 98th percentile 4.90 40-yard dash. That speed translates to tape, as he’s quick out of his stance, agile as a coordinated blocker and blocker on the move. He has impressive raw power as a run blocker, maximizing the momentum generated by his quickness and agitation to get defenders off center. Jones projects as a future NFL starter who could benefit from a year to grow a little more.
Round 4 (Rams): Tacario Davis, CB, Washington
In the short term, cornerback might not seem like a big need for the Bears. However, Tyrique Stevenson is scheduled to hit free agency next offseason, and arguably hasn’t proven himself worth a long-term investment as a starting backcourt option. If the value is right, don’t be surprised if they add competition in the form of a draft pick.
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It appears Tacario Davis has fallen victim to the classic prospect fatigue scenario. He’s been solid for a long time, and while he certainly has his weaknesses, he’s a talented athlete who stands 6’4″ and has a 95th percentile arm length for the cornerback position. His hips are a little tight in sudden movement scenarios, but he has impressive deep speed, good longitudinal agility for downhill shooting, and has great ball skills that help him adjust to passes and break up plays consistently.
Round 7 (from Eagles via Jaguars and Browns): Kaden Wetjen, WR, Iowa
Aside from their top three receivers (Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Kalif Raymond), the Bears’ wide receiver group has eight combined receptions at the NFL level. You run into a similar problem with Kaden Wetjen in that Iowa didn’t use him much as a receiver, but he’s the best return specialist I’ve seen in this draft. His agility and full-field vision as a ball carrier are tremendous, and he also looked like a reliable spacer in drills at the Shrine Bowl.
Round 7: Dan Villari, TE, Syracuse
With Durham Smythe no longer on the roster, the Bears need a third tight end to break out in 13 personnel packages and on special teams. Dan Villari had a career attrition rate of only 1.5% in college. It’s a little small, but the will as an inline blocker is there. I’m bummed he didn’t get an invite to the Combine, because he looks very good deep speed and fluidity at the seam with him on the tape. He’s a much more polished route runner than you’d expect from someone who also started at quarterback in college.
53-man roster preview
Quarterback (3): Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum
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RB (4): D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Roschon Johnson, Brittain Brown
WR (5): Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond, Jahdae Walker, Kaden Wetjen
TE (3): Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Dan Villari
OL (9): Joe Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, Jonah Jackson, Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Jedrick Wills, Theo Benedet, Jordan McFadden, Logan Jones (with Ozzy Trapilo in PUP)
DT (5): Gervon Dexter, Grady Jarrett, Gracen Halton, Shemar Turner, Neville Gallimore
OF (5): Montez Sweat, TJ Parker, Dayo Odeyingbo, Austin Booker, Daniel Hardy
LI (5): TJ Edwards, Devin Bush, D’Marco Jackson, Jack Sanborn, Ruben Hyppolite II
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CB (7): Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, Tacario Davis, Josh Blackwell, Terell Smith, Zah Frazier
T (4): Coby Bryant, AJ Haulcy, Cam Lewis, Elijah Hicks
ST (3): Cairo Santos, Tory Taylor, Scott Daly