ESPN analyst shares a bold trade that would ensure the Bears go all-in to land one of the top edge rushers in the 2026 NFL Draft
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell floated trade ideas for each team selecting in the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft and had a bold trade up idea for the Chicago Bears to land a top edge rusher.
The Chicago Bears will have a different draft mindset in the 2026 NFL Draft picking with the 25th overall pick compared to the last three years when the team had a Top-10 selection (or multiple in the case of the 2024 NFL Draft).
Back in February, general manager Ryan Poles explained how the process is different this time around and all of the options the team is preparing for in the first-round.
“I think you’ve got to cast a wider net,” Poles said at the NFL Combine. “When you’re in the top 10, you can get a pool of 12, 13, 14 guys that you know are going to be there. This is a little bit different. We’re going to have to do a lot more work, make sure that we have information on everybody. We don’t want to be caught by surprise, and we won’t be. There are guys that you think will be top 15 that fall all the way to 25. I’ve seen that before. So, we want to be prepared, and we will be.”
At the NFL Annual Meeting last week, Poles and head coach Ben Johnson both seemed in alignment that the Bears will use the 25th overall pick on the best player available, regardless of need or position, unless the grades are similar.
Another option would be to move up in the draft to ensure the Bears land a top prospect in the class. It would be pricey, and ESPN’s Bill Barnwell laid out what it could look like if Chicago considered such a move.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell lays out a bold trade up proposal for the Bears in the 2026 NFL Draft
Barnwell’s proposal had the Bears trading the 25th overall pick, the 57th overall pick (second-round), and a 2027 second-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the 11th overall pick, the 151st overall pick (fifth-round), the 227th overall pick (seventh-round) and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
This would be a really expensive move for the Bears to make. Chicago does have the extra second-round pick to leverage after stealing a second-rounder from the Buffalo Bills in the DJ Moore trade and could use more Day 3 selections. Moving the future second-round pick is the toughest pill to swallow.
For this to work, one of the top three edge rushers (David Bailey, Rueben Bain Jr. or Arvell Reese) would have to fall out of the Top-10 to justify trading up. The Bears need an impact player off the edge and might not have an ideal one fall to pick No. 25. Bain is the ideal player the Bears would consider moving up for with a real chance of falling.
Several draft experts have expressed concerns with Bain’s arm length being an issue at the next level. It’s worth noting that Poles attended the Miami Pro Day and got an in-person look at Bain and other Miami prospects for himself.
Hypothetically, let’s say Bain falls to 11 and the Bears make a move, here’s what this trade up could look like for all seven-rounds using the A to Z Sports Mock Draft Simulator.
To me, that’s a really good haul, even after trading up. Chicago still lands a top edge rusher, a new wide receiver for Ben Johnson’s offense, two new starters in the secondary, and four depth players. You can’t go wrong with that, but again, parting ways with the future second-rounder would be tough.
I can see where Barnwell is coming from suggesting this kind of move. However, it’s all dependent on a player like Bain falling out of the Top-10, which is unlikely. Unless teams really are that concerned about his arm length.
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