Bears’ draft picks 2026:
Rd 1, Pick 25: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
Rd 2, Pick 57: Logan Jones, C, Iowa
Rd 3, Pick 69: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford
Rd 3, Pick 89: Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU
Rd 4, Pick 124: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
Rd 5, Pick 166: Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona St.
Rd 6, Pick 213: Jordan van den Berg, DT, Georgia Tech
UDFA Signings / Invites
Player, Pos, School
Beau Gardner LS Georgia
Caden Barnett G Wyoming [Vanilla Gorilla!]
Coleman Bennett RB Kennesaw St
Gabriel Plascencia K SDSU
Hayden Large TE Iowa
Jaren Kump C Utah
Jayden Loving DT Wake Forest
KC Eziomume CB Tulane
Mason Murphy OT Auburn
Miller Moss QB Louisville
Omari Kelly WR Michigan State
Skyler Thomas S Oregon State
Squirrel White WR Florida State
Tryout Invites
Dain Walter OT UWL
Devin Pringle DB UConn
Jaheim Ward DB Eastern Kentucky
Josh Kreutz C Illinois
Terrell Tilmon DE Texas Tech
SEA ’25 D
Overall Defensive DVOA: 1st (-24.2%)
PPG: [1st ]17.2
YPG: [1st] 267.0
Pass Defense DVOA: 1st
Run Defense DVOA: 1st
Pressure Rate: 3rd (34.2%)
Takeaways: Tied for 6th (18)
Bears ’25 D
Overall Defensive DVOA: 25th (6.1%)
PPG [23rd] 24.4
YPG [29th] 361.8
Pass Defense DVOA: 24th (12.3%)
Run Defense DVOA: 25th (approx. 10.4% based on 2025 reports)
Pressure Rate 29th [31.1%]
Bears’ 25 D sum:
YPG 361.8 [29th]
Rush YPG 134.5 [27th]
Pass YPG 227.2 [22nd]
PPG 24.4 [23rd]
Takeways 33 [1st] 23 INTs, 10 FFs
–Byard 7 INTs, Wright 8TOs, Edmunds 5TOs, Gardner-Johnson 2INTs, 1 FF, Brisker 1 INT.
TOs, which are notoriously fickle yr-to-yr, were the ONLY factor separating us from laughing stock Ds like Dallas. Bears need to replace approx 24/33 TOs.
TLDR:
BJ/Poles declared they were going BPA, and that’s EXACTLY what they did. If they went for need, they would’ve drafted:
DT Peter Woods [KC drafted him @ 29] or Edge Keldric Faulk [31st]
Then scooped up S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the 2nd [Browns #58th overall]
Still landed a C in Jake Slaughter at #60 or doubled-down on Dline with DT Tyler Onyedim or DE Keyron Crawford in same range.
However, they stuck to their tiers, drafted prospects they deemed best BJ/Allen fits, and called it a day.
Guess we’ll find out if that translates to more wins. Hey, if all else fails, Bears could win gold in flag football.
