The Bears' playoff run ends. Now, attention turns to the 2026 draft. See who analysts project filling key defensive needs for Chicago.
The Los Angeles Rams eliminated the Chicago Bears from the playoffs with a 20-17 overtime loss.
The Bears forced overtime with another insane fourth-quarter comeback. Caleb Williams threw a touchdown pass to tight end Cole Kmet on fourth down with the Rams up 17-10.
However, momentum quickly shifted in overtime, as Williams threw an interception to Kam Curl. The Rams then drove down the field and put Harrison Mevis in position to hit the game-winning field goal.
Now, the Bears are looking ahead to the offseason. With the 2026 NFL Draft just a few months away, this is where the Bears stand.
Chicago currently has the 25th overall pick after advancing to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
General Manager Ryan Poles had a pretty solid draft class from 2025. Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, Ozzy Trapilo and Kyle Monangai all had significant roles with the team as rookies.
Various analysts have started making mock drafts. Drafting a defensive lineman was one of the themes in the mock drafts for the Bears.
ESPN's Mel Kiper had Chicago selecting defensive tackle Kayden McDonald out of Ohio State. CBS Sports' Josh Edwards predicted the Bears would take Florida DL Caleb Banks, while PFF's Jordan McGuinness had Chicago going with Georgia DL Christen Miller.
The defensive line has been a talking point for Chicago over the last few years for several reasons. Montez Sweat finished with 10 sacks, becoming the franchise's first player to do so since Robert Quinn had 18.5 in 2021.
However, the Bears still struggled as a team to sack opposing quarterbacks this season. Chicago ranked 22nd in the NFL with 35 in the 2025 season.
Another area where the Bears struggled on defense was stopping the run. Chicago allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game (134.4).
The Bears will now get to see what it's like to enter the draft after a winning season, something they haven't experienced since the 2019 NFL Draft. The Bears didn't have a first- or second-round pick in that draft because they traded for Khalil Mack.
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from April 23-25. The Las Vegas Raiders will have the No. 1 pick after finishing with the worst record in the NFL (3-14).
The Raiders are followed in draft order by the New York Jets, the Arizona Cardinals and the Tennessee Titans.
It'll be interesting to see Chicago pick later on in the draft this time around. Who will Poles draft in April?