Top non-draft storylines for the Bears going into the busy week of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine
A lot more is discussed at the Combine than the prospects working out on the field.
Combine week is here which is a great opportunity for hundreds of prospects to show out their skills in front of various executives, coaches, and scouts ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in April.
It’s also a great opportunity to hear from the majority of the general managers and head coaches for the first time since the season ended to better get an idea of what offseason moves are ahead. At the same time, executives and agents use this week to begin laying the groundwork for future trades. Needless to say, it’s a busy week.
For the Chicago Bears, general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson will each come up to the podium and speak to the media on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Those two will have plenty discuss, but for the team as a whole, here are the Top-5 non-draft storylines worth looking out for this week.
Top-5 non-draft storylines for Bears fans to pay attention to throughout NFL Combine week
1. Maxx Crosby’s future with the Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek will meet with the media at 10:15 a.m. ET on Tuesday and will surely have plenty of questions about the future of his star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Crosby signed a three-year extension with the team last offseason but that didn’t stop all of the drama surrounding a potential trade in the future, especially with how the season ended for the Raiders.
The Bears will be one of the top teams following this closely. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sat down with Crosby on his podcast last week and you could tell how much mutual respect the two have for each other. Spytek won’t give a direct answer about a potential trade, but it’ll still be worth paying attention to see what exactly he says about the situation.
2. DJ Moore’s future with the Chicago Bears
On the flip-side, I’m interested to see what Poles and Johnson have to say about veteran wide receiver DJ Moore. Moore’s slated to have the team’s highest cap hit in 2026 despite having the worst statistical season of his career.
The Bears have two choices, either restructure his deal to lower the 2026 cap hit by pushing more money into the future OR finding a trade partner to take on his contract. Based on recent mock trades, Moore’s future could go hand-in-hand with Crosby’s future.
3. Trey Hendrickson tag-and-trade doomsday scenario
Early last week, the franchise tag window opened for all 32 teams and the name worth watching for a potential tag is Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, another top pass rusher that’s been commonly linked to the Bears this offseason. The price to tag Hendrickson would be $30.2 million and it’s something the Bengals could do to prevent him from hitting the open market.
If that’s indeed the road the Bengals take, Cincinnati would then look to trade Hendrickson to another team. That possibility would be the doomsday scenario for the Bears‘ chances of bringing Hendrickson in to reunite with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
4. Updates on how the RB market could look even worse for the Bears
One position the Bears have quietly been linked to a few times is the running back position with D’Andre Swift as a potential cap casualty, saying the Bears can bring in a clear upgrade as the RB1 in Ben Johnson’s offense. Well, the market might not be as robust as many thought.
There’s already rumors circulating about Breece Hall getting the transition tag from the New York Jets and tons of buzz connecting Travis Etienne to the Kansas City Chiefs. That would leave Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III as the only top back on the market and easily skyrocket his market value well outside of the Bears’ range. It’s not looking likely that Chicago will feasibly find an upgrade over Swift.
5. When will the Bears start making more in-house moves before the start of free agency
So far, the Bears have only made one move after releasing linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga last week to clear nearly $2 million in cap space. It’s not the linebacker many expected to be cut first and the jury is still out on whether the Bears move on from linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, a move that would save $15 million in cap space.
There’s also the question of when the Bears start making in-house re-signings before free agency. Last offseason, the Bears started making moves during the first week of March by trading for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney while re-signing Josh Blackwell and Ogbongbemiga. The end of next week could be when the Bears start to get active again and the re-signing to watch is Kevin Byard III.
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