Chicago Bears draft picks tracker: Updated list of 2026 selections, next pick predictions originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Chicago Bears took a big step forward last season. Now, they're eyeing title contention.
Caleb Williams' growth, one of the NFL's best run games and strong fourth-quarter play all contributed to the Bears winning the NFC North under first-year head coach Ben Johnson.
Heading into 2026, Chicago has added safety Coby Bryant and linebacker Devin Bush, prioritizing its defense in free agency. But with the No. 25 pick in the draft and plenty more, the team will be continuing to address its needs, from pass rusher to the offensive line.
The Sporting News is tracking the Bears' selections at the 2026 NFL Draft, along with a breakdown of Chicago's positional needs and predictions. Here's the latest on the Bears' picks.
Safety: The Bears had one of the NFL's better safety rooms in 2025, with Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Jonathan Owens and C.J. Gardner-Johnson all contributing. None of those players are returning. Chicago partially addressed safety by signing former Seahawk Coby Bryant, but Ben Johnson still needs another playmaker alongside him.
EDGE: The Bears could use some help for Montez Sweat, who posted 10.0 sacks in 2025 to lead the team. Only one other EDGE had more than 1.5, which was Austin Booker with 4.5 sacks. Adding another pass rusher opposite of Sweat could help elevate a Chicago defense that put up just 35 as a team last year.
Offensive Tackle: The Bears' offensive line saw some changes this offseason, with Drew Dalman's retirement being the most surprising. However, with Ozzy Trapilo recovering from an injury, the Bears are currently set to have a LT competition including Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet. They could certainly pursue a rookie to lead that competition — or finding a longer-term center option than Garrett Bradbury would also be wise.
NFL DRAFT RANKINGS 2026:QBs | WRs | TEs | EDGE | RBs
Here's a look at how the Bears' 2026 NFL Draft board could shake out, based on the seven-round mock draft from SN's Vinnie Iyer.
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is on Thursday, April 23, from Pittsburgh, Pa.