A bold ESPN prediction sees the Bears leap to No. 11 in 2026, aiming for top talent to bolster their pass rush or offense.
The Chicago Bears still have a few remaining needs after the moves they made in free agency.
The biggest acquisitions were safety Coby Bryant, linebacker Devin Bush, and defensive lineman Neville Gallimore.
Bryant addressed the need for a starting safety that the Bears had after losing both Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker in free agency. One recent mock draft actually had the Bears finding a replacement for Brisker.
Bush should fill the role that Tremaine Edmunds had on defense, as a linebacker who can also help out in pass coverage if needed.
Gallimore is a versatile player who can rush the passer and clog running lanes. Chicago needed help in both of those areas after finishing 22nd in the NFL with 35 sacks and allowing the sixth-most rushing yards per game (134.5).
The Bears have the No. 25 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, with more needs that could be addressed in a few weeks. After reaching the Divisional Round, the Bears don't have a pick high enough to take a top prospect like Caleb Downs or David Bailey.
However, that all changed after ESPN's Bill Barnwell made a prediction.
He had the Bears trading with the Miami Dolphins for the No. 11 pick. Miami would get the 25th pick, 57th pick and a 2027 second-round pick. Chicago would receive the 11th pick, 151st pick, 227th pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Barnwell believed this move would only be logical if a prospect like Bailey, Rueben Bain Jr., or Arvell Reese weren't taken in the first 10 picks. It would definitely help the Bears improve their middling pass rush from last season.
He also wouldn't be surprised if the Bears made this move to take a receiver like Makai Lemon or Jordyn Tyson.
"Though moving from No. 25 to No. 18 wasn't a drastic jump, going from 25 to 11 would be a much more significant climb," Barnwell said. "This would really make sense only if one of the top pass-rush prospects, such as David Bailey, Rueben Bain Jr. or Arvell Reese, fall out of the top 10. That seems unlikely to me, but stranger things have happened, and the Bears would be well-positioned to pounce if that occurred. If Poles is leaning offense, this would also get the Bears in position for Makai Lemon or Jordyn Tyson at wide receiver."
The Bears don't have any fifth-round picks, and this would allow the team to acquire one with a trade via the Dolphins. The Bears also have an extra seventh-round pick to spare, so the move makes sense in that regard.
We've seen how good General Manager Ryan Poles is at finding hidden gems in the later rounds of drafts. The Bears could find an edge rusher or receiver with this trade, and then Poles could work his magic as he did with Kyle Monangai last year.
The draft is very unpredictable, and this move is a risk that may be worth taking.