Bears believe they landed ‘one of more gifted defensive tackles’ at a steal of a value during the 2026 NFL Draft
The Chicago Bears proved how they felt about Georgia Tech defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg when they traded up to select him in the sixth-round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears were heavily criticized, and rightfully so, for not investing enough on the defensive line this offseason and particularly in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Going into the 2026 season, the Bears will be returning essentially the same group of pass rushers off the edge and banking on their ability to remain healthy and turn the corner in the second season under stronger coaching.
On the interior, the Bears did make some quality additions by signing Neville Gallimore to a two-year deal, while also signing veterans Kentavius Street and James Lynch to one-year deals to boost the depth at the position. The one addition the team really seems to be thrilled about is sixth-round rookie selection Jordan van den Berg.
Bears reportedly view Jordan van den Berg as a ‘steal’ selection that checks every box
In the sixth-round of the draft, the Bears packaged both seventh-round picks to trade up and select van den Berg with the 213th overall pick. It’s clear the Bears felt strong about his potential and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler revealed more about the team’s decision.
“The Bears believe they’re getting a steal with sixth-round defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg out of Georgia Tech. Several of his testing numbers hit the highest mark on the Bears’ internal scouting scale. My sense is the Bears have plans for him beyond that of a typical sixth-round flier and believe he was one of more gifted defensive tackles in the draft.”
Jeremy Fowler
ESPN
After not attending the NFL Scouting Combine, van den Berg impressed teams at the Georgia Tech Pro Day posting freakish numbers given his size and position. He recorded a 4.9 40-yard-dash with a 1.61 10-yard-split. That kind of explosiveness was sure to entice defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
“He was a player that we identified that we want to go get,” Poles explained after the draft. “I don’t think he would have lasted to us in the seventh, so we were a little bit more aggressive. Went and got him. And you could tell with the energy that came through the building, and especially our D-line coaches, they were fired up. So, really excited how we finished this draft.”
Jordan van den Berg offers the team short-term competition with long-term starting potential
Defensive tackle was easily viewed as the bigger of the two needs looking at the long-term state of the defensive line. Prior to the draft, the Bears only had Grady Jarrett and Gallimore under contract in 2027 at the position.
In the short-term, van den Berg can provide the Bears with high-quality competition behind Jarrett and Gervon Dexter Sr., who’s entering the final year of his contract. This is a guy that can push for snaps rotating behind those two. Even if van den Berg is unable to earn significant snaps in 2026, he will still get value experience as a rookie sitting and learning behind a veteran like Jarrett.
Long-term, van den Berg has starting potential for the interior of this defense. The Bears feel really high about this guy and for good reason. He has excellent traits to work with and a character that fits perfectly with the rest of the team.