Bears 3-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Defensive overhaul begins under Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen, plus a DJ Moore replacement
The Bears desperately need to overhaul the defense in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears had the five-game win streak come to a close in disappointing fashion against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday but the team proved they’re a few plays away from truly contending against a top caliber NFC opponent, a week removed from dominating in Philadelphia.
In the first season under head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears have turned it around and are only a few pieces away from making a legitimate run as an NFC contender, and still have a solid shot to do so in 2025 despite tumbling down the standings.
While there’s still four weeks remaining in the regular season, Sunday’s loss gives us a great chance to look ahead and evaluate some of the positions of need. And since it’s Monday, why not attempt a quick three-round mock draft to start floating some names out there?
Bears 3-Round 2026 Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick 24: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Gators
As the season has progressed for Chicago, the interior of the defensive front is looking like a bigger issue than many anticipated compared to the defensive end position. The play of Gervon Dexter Sr. and Grady Jarrett leaves more to be desired every week and the Bears need a better No. 3 option.
Off the edge, Montez Sweat has picked it up and shown to make some impactful plays and Austin Booker has looked the part since returning from injury and stepping into the starting role. It’s also worth noting the Bears liked using 2025 second-round pick Shemar Turner off the edge before his season-ending injury.
All of that leads me more toward addressing the interior of the front in the first-round. The guy on my radar right now is Caleb Banks. Funny enough, he’s very similar stylistically to Dexter from the same program. Banks isn’t a full polished player by any means to have first-round consideration and has some medical history, but the potential is there and it’s not like the Bears will be asking for an every-down starter out the gate.
Round 2, Pick 56: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo Rockets
Chicago currently does not have a single safety under contract for the 2026 season and while general manager Ryan Poles hinted at the 2026 free agent class, getting a younger option in the building to pair with Kevin Byard (who is prime for a one-year extension) is the best course of action.
When pairing a rookie with a ball-hawk veteran in Byard, the Bears will need to search for a physical box safety that can offer more of a consistent impact than what Jaquan Brisker has shown in 2025.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren fits that bill. He’s a hard-hitting safety and the kind of tone setter the Bears will be looking to add to the defense long-term. He’s a much more sound tackler and has the size to match up well with tight ends. He’s the ideal replacement if Chicago doesn’t re-sign Brisker.
Round 3, Pick 88: Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana Hoosiers
The Bears are quickly reaching a cross-roads with wide receiver DJ Moore and his level of consistency in this offense hasn’t been worth the hefty price tag over the last two seasons. It reached a concerning point in Week 14 when Moore turned in -4 yards on three targets during a game in which fellow wide receiver Rome Odunze was inactive due to a foot injury.
If the Bears indeed move on, Johnson will need to have a hand-picked option ready to step in alongside Odunze and 2025 second-round pick Luther Burden III. Based on value and fit alone, it’s hard to look past Elijah Sarratt out of Indiana.
Indiana’s offense under Curt Cignetti and Mike Shanahan is a timing-based scheme and Sarratt has excelled in that kind of offense and especially on in-breakers, which is similar to the one Johnson is running in Chicago with the Bears’ passing game. Sarratt’s key selling point for NFL scouts is easily his ability to make clutch late-game plays, which should entice Chicago even more.
Chicago Bears News
Bears experienced some familiar and concerning issues in Week 14 loss to the Packers that had nothing to do with Caleb Williams
The Bears’ defense once again struggled against the passing game.
