The Chicago Bears are entering the 2026 NFL Draft with the 25th pick in the first round, along with picks at 57th, 60th, and 89th overall in the first three rounds.
With those picks, the Bears will likely be looking to address their needs along the trenches on both sides of the ball. If they do, they have a chance to snap a decade-plus-long streak.
As ESPN's Courtney Cronin notes, if the Bears select a pass rusher or a defensive end, they would be snapping a 10-plus-year-long streak without taking that position in the first round.
Bears could snap 10-plus year streak in NFL Draft
"It's been even longer since Chicago drafted a pass rusher in Round 1 (Leonard Floyd, 2016) pr a pure defensive end (Shea McClellin, 2012)," Cronin writes. "Both are major needs for Dennis Allen's defense after the Bears focused on defensive tackle during free agency."
The Bears need to find a way to add to their pass rusher room this offseason, and with no moves through the first month of free agency, the NFL Draft is the next obvious spot to upgrade at pass rusher.
The last time they took a first-round pass rusher was 10 years ago in 2016 with Leonard Floyd. This draft season, pass rushers should be back on the menu.
Montez Sweat is good, but they need more help at that spot. Dayo Odeyingbo was a massive letdown last year, even before his brutal Achilles injury.
Even if he comes back ready and motivated for the 2026 season, the Bears still need to add more help at pass rusher.
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At No. 25, there should be some intriguing options at edge rusher. Akheem Mesidor out of Miami, Zion Young out of Missouri, Cashius Howell out of Texas A&M, T.J. Parker out of Clemson, and potentially Keldrick Faulk out of Auburn could be available.
Any of those options would make sense with the Bears first round pick, as they need pass-rusher help badly, and don't have great options in the trade or free agent market anymore.
If they do go for an edge rusher in Round 1, as Cronin notes, they would be snapping a 10-year streak, and a true defensive end being the pick would snap a 14-year streak without such a pick in the first round.
For such a premium position, this long streak is hard to believe. But Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles might be ready to break it, and take a pass rusher in Round 1 to get some much-needed pass rush upside.
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