GM Ryan Poles has said the Chicago Bears will get together in the near future to discuss how they wish to stack their draft board for three weeks from now. However, anybody who understands the process should know this team already has a good idea of how the top of the draft will unfold. There is an undercurrent growing about how the first three picks will go. Poles has better information than most fans or journalists about what other teams could be thinking. That is why he and his front office run multiple mock drafts, giving them valuable insight into how the picks ahead of them could go. That is how they knew they had a good shot at landing Rome Odunze last season.
Now, the focus is on the 10th overall pick. Presuming the Bears stay put, it will be the fourth time they’ve spent a selection that high in the draft in three years. It is a significant opportunity to add another difference-maker to their young roster. People can’t figure out which position Poles and head coach Ben Johnson might be focused on. Some believe it’ll be a running back. Others see a pass rusher. Courtney Cronin of ESPN believes it’s neither of those. She told Waddle & Silvy her prediction based on the information she had.
The Chicago Bears going left tackle makes sense.
For one, they have no true stability at the position. Yes, Braxton Jones has been the starter for the past three years. Unfortunately, he broke his ankle last year and won’t be fully healed when training camp starts. Also, 2025 is the final year of his rookie contract. Former 3rd round Kiran Amegadjie has plenty of talent, but it was painfully apparent last season that he was a work in progress. The Bears can’t bank on him suddenly morphing into a clear starter in one off-season, especially with learning a new offense.
Poles said the goal was to bring competition to the left tackle spot. Most projections have the top options still available when the Chicago Bears go on the clock. The problem is each of them carries a red flag.
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Will Campbell of LSU has shorter than average arms
Armand Membou has played exclusively at right tackle
Kelvin Banks Jr. raises concerns about his pass protection
Josh Simmons tore his patella last season
This comes down to who the Bears think has the best chance to be a great player at the position despite those concerns. It would mark the first time in over 40 years that the team has drafted two 1st round offensive linemen in a three-year span. The last time led to Keith Van Horne and Jimbo Covert. That worked out pretty well.