The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, where they’ll welcome a new group of rookies to the roster under second-year head coach Ben Johnson.
It's been a busy offseason for Chicago, who saw the additions and subtractions of key players during free agency. The Bears lost key veterans -- center Drew Dalman, wide receiver DJ Moore, safeties Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, cornerback Nahshon Wright and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds -- while welcoming some new ones to the mix -- safety Coby Bryant, linebacker Devin Bush, center Garrett Bradbury and wide receiver Kalif Raymond. But there's still some work to be done in the draft, where general manager Ryan Poles has seven selections, including four in the Top 89 -- to address key needs in the trenches and at safety.
Following free agency and the first wave of the offseason program — from signings to cuts to trades — here’s a look at where the Bears roster stands ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Caleb Williams is entering his third season, and second working with Ben Johnson, and expectations are higher than ever. Williams had a breakout season in 2025, where he emerged as one of the NFL's most clutch quarterbacks. Now, the Bears are looking at him to take the next step. Meanwhile, Tyson Bagent is back as Williams' backup while Case Keenum returns as another coaching figure for Williams.
The Bears return their running back duo of D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, which led the NFL's third-best rushing attack last season. Swift is coming off a career year with Chicago, where he eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for just the second time in his career, while seventh-round rookie Monangai emerged as one of the biggest steals of the 2025 draft. Brittain Brown and Deion Hankins were preseason standouts and Roschon Johnson played exclusively on special teams.
Chicago traded star wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills for a second-round pick, and a big reason they could do that was the 1-2 punch at receiver in young, promising players in Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, who will be focal points on offense. The Bears signed veteran Kalif Raymond to lead the young room and serve as WR3, as well as a return specialist.
The Bears have one of the best tight end duos in the NFL with last year's rookie standout Colston Loveland and veteran Cole Kmet. Loveland led the team in receiving, receiving yards and tied for most touchdowns during his impressive rookie season. Kmet took a backseat in the passing game, but he was a solid target when needed and excelled as a blocker.
The Bears return three key members of their top offensive line with All-Pro Joe Thuney, Darnell Wright and Jonah Jackson. But they suffered a massive loss following Drew Dalman's shocking retirement, which forced Chicago to trade for Garrett Bradbury to fill the void. With Ozzy Trapilo expected to miss most of the season, there will once again be a left tackle competition between Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet and newcomer Jedrick Wills Jr.
The Bears return their top three edge rushers from a season ago with Montez Sweat, as well as Austin Booker and Dayo Odeyingbo, who both missed significant time due to injury. Chicago re-signed Daniel Hardy to provide depth and return a key special teamer. But there's a lot to be desired from this group, especially after the Bears notched just 35 sacks last season.
The Bears return starting defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett to a group that struggled last season, especially defending the run. Chicago spent free agency adding depth to the position, including signing Neville Gallimore, but they still need to find an impact interior defender to help shore up one of the biggest weaknesses on the roster. Shemar Turner, who missed most of his rookie season due to injury, is slated to return.
The Bears released Tremaine Edmunds before free agency kicked off as a means to free up salary cap space, and they found a cheaper replacement in Devin Bush, who had a career resurgence with the Cleveland Browns. Chicago also re-signed D'Marco Jackson, who stepped up amid injuries to Edmunds and T.J. Edwards last season. The Bears also returned a familiar face in Jack Sanborn to compete in a room also featuring Noah Sewell and Ruben Hyppolite II.
Chicago's top cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon missed most of the 2025 season due to injury, but they're returning healthy, which should help the secondary immensely. The Bears lost Pro Bowler Nahshon Wright in free agency, so they have a big decision to make at cornerback -- do they trust Tyrique Stevenson to start, do they need to find a newcomer in the draft or will they allow guys like Terell Smith and Zah Frazier to compete for the starting job.
The Bears have plenty of work to do with the safety position, starting with finding a starter opposite free-agent addition Coby Bryant. Chicago lost both starting safeties in Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, as well as depth Jonathan Owens but managed to re-sign Elijah Hicks.
The Bears are returning their starting kicker and punter from a year ago, but they still have a question mark at long snapper. Scott Daly has been the starter for the past two years, but he remains unsigned as a free agent. Luke Elkin is the only long snapper in place, so we'll see if Chicago has plans for him moving forward.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears' updated roster