Despite a defensive overhaul and free-agent splashes, Ryan Poles continues to overlook a major need, passing on it in future projections.
The Chicago Bears were able address many needs this offseason.
They lost multiple starters on both offense and defense. Drew Dalman retired, then the Bears let Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker and Tremaine Edmunds go.
D.J. Moore was traded to the Buffalo Bills for a second-round pick.
The Bears found their two starting safeties in Coby Bryant and first-round pick Dillon Thieneman.
Bryant is fresh off a solid season with the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Seattle decided not to give him another contract, and he joined Chicago in free agency.
Thieneman was drafted out of Oregon at No. 25 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft and will start alongside Bryant after a successful college career.
To make up for the loss of Edmunds, the Bears signed free agent linebacker Devin Bush. He is a player very similar to Edmunds, recording 125 total tackles, three interceptions, two sacks, and seven TFLs.
Dalman's replacement is Garrett Bradbury, whom the Bears traded for with the New England Patriots.
Even after all the moves General Manager Ryan Poles made in free agency and the draft, there's still a sizable hole on the roster. That hole would be the pass rush.
Out of all the draft picks Poles made, only one of them was on the defensive line, and it was a defensive tackle. He picked Georgia Tech DT Jordan Van Den Berg, who isn't known for his pass-rushing ability.
According to an early 2027 mock draft from Pro Football Network's Jacob Infante, the Bears won't be addressing the need anytime soon.
He had the Bears taking Miami DT Justin Scott at No. 16 overall. Scott has spent two years at Miami and has accounted for two sacks in his college career.
That isn't going to move the needle for a team that ranked 22nd in the NFL with 35 sacks last year. Montez Sweat did all he could, but it still wasn't enough to make the pass rush competent.
Chicago is moving forward with a pass rush consisting of Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, Austin Booker and Shemar Turner.
Sweat wasn't the issue. He had 10 sacks, 53 total tackles and 13 TFLs.
For all the money the Bears invested in Odeyingbo, he's been a disappointment so far. Odeyingbo is still on a three-year, $48 million contract and has played in eight games for the Bears after tearing his Achilles last season.
Turner only played in five games before tearing his ACL during his rookie season. Booker has shown promise and continues to improve, but it's unclear whether he's ready for a starting role just yet.
ESPN's Courtney Cronin believes that the Bears are banking on their secondary to help with the pass rush. The idea is that with good coverage, it'll force quarterbacks to hold the ball longer and allow the pass rush more time to get home.
At the end of the day, this is just a mock draft and isn't reflective on how the Bears could actually go in the 2027 NFL Draft. However, if the pass rush is a problem again this season, the noise is going to get louder around Poles and the front office.
