Bears Swipe Valued Vikings’ Target on Day 2 of NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears operated shrewdly in the second round of the NFL draft, which increased their pick total, likely improved the personnel value they will add in 2025 and landed them a player that was prominently on the Minnesota Vikings‘ radar.

Chicago executed a trade with the Buffalo Bills, swapping the No. 41 overall pick in the second round along with pick Nos. 72 and 240 in exchange for selections 56, 62 and 109. The Bears then turned picks 56 and 62 into offensive tackle Ozzie Trapilo of Boston College and defensive tackle Shemar Turner of Texas A&M.

Alec Lewis of The Athletic, who covers Minnesota, took to social media following Chicago’s selection of Turner.

“Bears snag Shemar Turner, who was never going to make it to No. 97 for the Vikings,” Lewis said. “Now have to see him twice a year.”

Minnesota could have traded up in an attempt to land Turner, but the Vikings entered the draft with only four picks at their disposal and either couldn’t move up for him or decided it wasn’t the appropriate value play.

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Dane Brugler, also of The Athletic, had high praise for Turner following the Bears’ maneuvering to add him.

“Turner needs to introduce more discipline to his play style, but he prides himself on being the aggressor and relies on his initial twitch, fierce hands and combative mentality to be a factor,” Brugler said, per Kevin Fishbain who covers Chicago for The Athletic.

The Bears desperately needed help along the defensive line after the unit finished near the bottom of the league in multiple crucial categories in 2024. Turner, who stands at 6-feet, 3-inches tall and weighs 290 pounds, should help significantly in that regard — particularly when paired with Chicago’s free-agent additions.

“General manager Ryan Poles finally takes a defensive player and fills a need with the 43rd-ranked player on my board at pick No. 62,” Steve Muench of ESPN wrote Friday. “The additions of Turner and free agent signees Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo should improve a defensive line that ranked 29th in run stop win rate and 24th in pass rush win rate.”

Turner produced 69 tackles, including 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three forced fumbles across 24 games played over his last two years in college football.

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Chicago ultimately picked four times inside the top 62 and focused on improving the trenches as well as the number of pass-catchers on the roster for QB Caleb Williams.

While Turner adds defensive line depth, Tapilo adds depth to the offensive tackle position behind presumed starters Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright. The Bears also selected offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie out of Yale in the third round of the 2024 draft.

Chicago took Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III with the No. 39 pick after drafting former Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th overall selection in Round 1.

The Bears don’t pick again until Saturday, when they hold the No. 109 selection in Round 4. They also select 148th in the fifth round and 233rd in the seventh round.