Chicago Bears pre-draft, post-free agency depth chart: More needed in the trenches

The Chicago Bears’ roster is better today than it was a month ago.

That’s on paper, of course.

But there’s no denying that trading for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney was a great starting point this offseason for the Bears, who required significant upgrades up front after last season.

So, what comes next? Where are the roster concerns now after the investment in the trenches on both sides of the ball? What does coach Ben Johnson want and need next for his team? How will it impact the players general manager Ryan Poles targets in the draft?

With pro days now dominating the schedule and the NFL owners’ meetings looming next week, here’s a look at the Bears’ roster position by position.

Quarterback

Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Austin Reed

Fishbain: From a value perspective, the Bears can’t ask for a better quarterbacks room, with three QBs on rookie contracts and a No. 2 in Bagent who has proven to be more than capable. The question is, do general manager Ryan Poles and Johnson think Williams would benefit from a veteran No. 3 while keeping Reed on the practice squad?

Jahns: It all comes down to Johnson. If he sees value in having a veteran QB around Williams, then the Bears will look for and sign one. That hasn’t happened yet. Last season, the Lions signed Teddy Bridgewater after Christmas, giving them three quarterbacks for the playoffs. Bridgewater joined Jared Goff and Hendon Hooker in the Lions’ QBs room. Bridgewater returned to the NFL after coaching Miami (Fla.) Northwestern Senior High School, his alma mater, to a state title.

Running back

D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, Ian Wheeler

Fishbain: If the Bears had a game tomorrow, they could do worse than the 1-2 punch of Swift and Johnson, but they could also add a more dynamic player to this group, especially with what we know about Ben Johnson’s use of running backs in Detroit. Does that mean they target a back in the first two rounds to be the primary runner, or does the coach believe in Swift enough to simply need to add a complement? Roschon Johnson is still a valuable special teamer along with Homer.

Jahns: With Ben Johnson in charge, I think everyone has been rightfully fixated on the possibility of the Bears adding another running back through the draft. The Lions invested in the position when he was in Detroit, signing David Montgomery and drafting Jahmyr Gibbs in the same offseason. Adding Ashton Jeanty, Kaleb Johnson or even Cam Skattebo would fit with what the Lions did two years ago.

Wide receiver

DJ Moore, Devin Duvernay, Samori Toure

Rome Odunze, John Jackson

Olamide Zaccheaus, Tyler Scott, Maurice Alexander

Fishbain: The additions of Zaccheaus and Duvernay helped the depth, but those are one-year, low-money contracts. I could see a Day 2 draft pick spent on a bigger slot receiver possibly, depending on how highly they view Zaccheaus. The Bears are in great shape with Moore and Odunze for the next few seasons, but there’s still a drop-off. Maybe Scott can show some growth in Year 3 and get into that mix, otherwise he could be on the bubble this summer pending other rookie additions.

Jahns: When it comes to the draft, the most surprising move by the Bears would be selecting a receiver with the 10th selection after taking Odunze last year and signing Moore to an extension. But I think that scenario can be safely ruled out. It’s different at running back and tight end. The Bears’ signings of Duvernay and Zaccheaus do suggest that the Bears will prioritize speed and quickness at receiver under Johnson.

Tight end

Cole Kmet, Durham Smythe, Stephen Carlson, Joel Wilson, Jordan Murray

Fishbain: Smythe’s familiarity with Johnson should give the Bears a nice option as far as blocking tight ends go, and he did have 35 catches only two years ago, but I think there has to be another addition here for that “move” tight end who can work the middle of the field with Kmet. Is that Tyler Warren or maybe a Day 3 tight end and another veteran on a one-year deal? A lot depends on what Johnson considers Kmet’s ceiling in his scheme.

Jahns: Smythe’s one-year, low-money deal says that the Bears added a capable backup, one who has experience with Johnson. But his signing won’t prevent the Bears from adding one in the draft. It’s a deep year for tight ends, and the Bears should want to take advantage of it. The big question, though, is whether that should start at No. 10 with Warren. He would be an elite weapon for Johnson’s offense. Warren would also help in the trenches, too. His blocking style might excite the Bears more than his pass-catching prowess.

Offensive line

LT: Braxton Jones, Kiran Amegadjie

LG: Joe Thuney, Chris Glaser, Theo Benedet

C: Drew Dalman, Ryan Bates, Doug Kramer, Ricky Stromberg

RG: Jonah Jackson, Bill Murray, Jordan McFadden

RT: Darnell Wright, Joshua Miles

Fishbain: The starting five is significantly improved, but more is needed not only for 2025 but future years. Maybe the coaching staff feels great about Jones and Amegadjie, but it’s the last year of Jones’ contract. Bates, Murray and Kramer should see competition for the top interior reserve spots. How would this group look with a first-round offensive lineman? The “need” isn’t as apparent when breaking down the first group, but as a whole unit, there could still be some talent infusions.

Jahns: Or how would this group look with some second-round offensive linemen? If the Bears take Jeanty or Warren at No. 10, adding a lineman or two at Nos. 39 and 41 would still fit the team’s plan to improve the trenches. Unlike other positions, this isn’t considered a good draft year for offensive linemen. So it wouldn’t be surprising if the Bears struck early in the second round instead of waiting until Day 3. Poles was in the Chiefs’ front office when the team took center Creed Humphrey at No. 63 in 2021.

Defensive line

DE: Montez Sweat, Austin Booker

3T: Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter, Chris Williams

NT: Andrew Billings, Zacch Pickens

DE: Dayo Odeyingbo, Dominique Robinson, Daniel Hardy, Jamree Kromah

Fishbain: Similar to the other side of the trenches, the additions of Jarrett and Odeyingbo upgrade this unit, but more work should be done. Jarrett gives defensive coordinator Dennis Allen some flexibility to rotate with Dexter and Billings, not to mention Odeyingbo’s versatility to slide inside. Another edge rusher — maybe in the first two rounds — would offer similar options for Allen to give offenses a bunch of looks along with Sweat. Booker is someone who, based on his measurables, could be in line for a Year 2 jump, but the Bears need a better group of backups on the line.

Jahns: One scenario that hasn’t been discussed enough is the possibility of the Bears taking a defensive tackle at No. 10. I’m not talking about Michigan star Mason Graham falling to No. 10. But what if the Bears view another defensive tackle as worthy of a top-10 selection? Two years ago, right tackle Darnell Wright was considered a late first-round pick by analysts and pundits. The Bears, though, saw him as better than that. A rigorous workout at Tennessee solidified Wright’s status with the team. What if the same happens for Oregon’s Derrick Harmon or Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen?

Linebacker

WLB: T.J. Edwards, Carl Jones

MLB: Tremaine Edmunds, Amen Ogbongbemiga

SLB Noah Sewell, Swayze Bozeman

Fishbain: When you scroll this depth chart, strongside linebacker stands out. The Bears could feel pretty good about putting 22 starters on the field for a game this week, but if they’re in their base defense, I’m not sure how confident they’d be in Sewell or Ogbongbemiga. The question now is, what kind of resource do they put into linebacker? They have to think about the position after 2025, too. Linebacker is pretty important in Allen’s defense — Demario Davis was a five-time All-Pro with Allen in New Orleans.

Jahns: After the Bears’ moves this offseason, linebacker has become one of the team’s top needs. Investments were rightfully made up front on both sides of the ball. But if you’re projecting what’s next, the Bears have Edwards in the final year of his contract, while Edmunds has an affordable, team-friendly exit point in his deal after 2025. Do the Bears have to consider UCLA star linebacker Carson Schwesinger in the second round? At this point, Sewell looks like a Bears draft miss.

Cornerback

CB: Jaylon Johnson, Nick McCloud

CB: Tyrique Stevenson, Terell Smith

NCB: Kyler Gordon, Josh Blackwell

Fishbain: This could be the deepest position on the team depending on how one views Stevenson and Smith — and the person whose opinion may matter most there is Allen, and possibly new defensive backs coach Al Harris. Former secondary coach Jon Hoke was a big believer in Smith, who has struggled to stay healthy. We know how gifted Stevenson is. But is that enough for the new staff? Johnson and Gordon are two of the best at their positions, and Blackwell is a very solid backup, but more corners should be added.

Jahns: Another scenario that hasn’t been discussed enough is the possibility that the Bears take a cornerback — a premium position — with the 10th pick. Stevenson’s standing with the team could be on shaky ground under a new coaching staff. There’s the Hail Mary fiasco and its fallout, but Stevenson also continued to rotate with Smith last season. Why is that? Michigan’s Will Johnson and Texas’ Jahdae Barron could be options at No. 10. The Bears should at least do their due diligence and look at them closely.

Safety

Kevin Byard, Jonathan Owens, Alex Cook

Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks, Tarvarius Moore

Fishbain: What does this position look like in 2026? If Byard and Brisker enter free agency after this season, is Hicks ready to take over as a starter? In a perfect world, Brisker plays an entire season concussion-free and the Bears feel good about his future, but even if that happened, there’s still a lot of serious risk based on what he’s gone through. It’d be wise to use a Day 2 draft pick (unless you’re finding a way to get Malaki Starks) on a safety who can take over either this season or next.

Jahns: Similar to linebacker, the Bears’ moves up front this offseason make addressing safety a possibility in the draft. The Bears aren’t ready to give up on Brisker, but there’s a reason Gordon is in line for a new contract and he isn’t. Brisker’s concussion history must be taken seriously.

Special teams

PK Cairo Santos

P Tory Taylor

LS Scott Daly

KR Devin Duvernay

PR Devin Duvernay, Josh Blackwell

Fishbain: While the Bears lost linebacker Jack Sanborn and cornerback Jaylon Jones, they brought back several core special teamers while also signing Duvernay as the new returner. Will he have competition? Zaccheaus also has return experience, as does Scott, and that’s also a spot where a rookie could factor in. This has the makings of another above-average special teams unit.

Jahns: One thing to watch in 2025 will be the development of Taylor in his second season. Lions punter Jack Fox led the NFL with an average of 51 yards per punt. It helped to play indoors for half the season, but Fox is Johnson’s most recent reference point for punting. He also didn’t punt much with Johnson’s offense scoring all the points it did. Fox had 45 punts during the regular season last season and earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. Taylor had 82 punts.