The Chicago Bears are getting ready for their first season under head coach Ben Johnson, and they just wrapped up what’s being seen as a very successful draft. For the most part, the Bears have gotten solid reviews on their draft picks, with Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN giving them a B+ for their draft class, which isn’t so shabby.
It would have been higher, but Kiper Jr. asked the question of “where are the pass rushers? The Bears’ edge defenders had a pass rush win rate of 10.2%, which was the third worst in the NFL last season. Shemar Turner is versatile, but he’s primarily an interior defensive lineman. He’ll join Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter Sr. there.”
Regardless, now that the draft is behind the Bears, it’s time to look at filling those remaining holes in their roster. NFL experts and analysts are discussing what the team needs to do to get their squad ready for the upcoming season.
Chicago Bears Still Need Some Help
In a May 8 feature for PFF, Trevor Sikkema discusses the biggest remaining need for all 32 NFL teams following the draft. “The 2025 NFL Draft represented one of the final opportunities for NFL teams to plug their roster holes before the season begins,” he stated in the article. “With that said, we’re taking a look at every team’s biggest remaining roster need as the summer nears.”
For the Bears, he 100% wants to see them get a running back. He also has some glowing words for the Bears.
“The Bears have one of the best rosters on paper in the NFL,” he stated in the piece. “It’s truly ‘put up or shut up’ time for that depth chart and front office.”
He added that if the Windy City “is lacking in an area, it’s running back. They have veteran D’Andre Swift, but his PFF rushing grade has steadily declined each season, bottoming out at 65.7 in 2024. Roschon Johnson has the highest PFF grades in the team’s backfield, but his sample size is much smaller.”
Another Hole to Fill for the Bears
ESPN also has a May 8 story out about the biggest post-draft roster holes for all 32 NFL teams. “At this point in the offseason, a roster hole does not necessarily mean the position group has no clear starters,” they state in the feature. “Most teams have filled the top of their depth charts. But plenty of units have limited depth, even after all the wheeling and dealing.”
Looking at Chicago, Courtney Cronin wants to see them beef up their offensive line.
“During free agency, the Bears flipped their interior offensive line in one week by trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and spending big to land center Drew Dalman,” Cronin stated in the piece. “They continued to address needs up front in the draft, using the 56th pick on offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo.”
Cronin added, “Now Chicago will experiment with several options regarding who plays at both left and right tackle. The heavy investment is good news for QB Caleb Williams, who was sacked a league-high 68 times as a rookie.”
