Ryan Poles details what the latest additions to the roster mean for the team's 2025 draft plans and it's exactly what everyone was expecting
Way back at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles laid out exactly what the team's offseason was going to look like.The organization was prepared to be aggressive in filling the holes on the roster in any way possible, including trading for top offensive linemen and spending high dollar during the […]
Way back at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles laid out exactly what the team's offseason was going to look like.
The organization was prepared to be aggressive in filling the holes on the roster in any way possible, including trading for top offensive linemen and spending high dollar during the first day of the free agency process.
As a result, the roster is in great shape at this point in the offseason. Sure, there's still some needs to address before it's all said and done, but the team isn't done adding talent to the roster either.
There's still some more potential free agent additions on the way and of course the 2025 NFL Draft, in which the Bears hold four selections in the Top-75 picks.
When discussing the free agency process with the media on Wednesday at Halas Hall, Poles reiterated the same message when it comes to how he planned to use free agency to formulate the team's draft plan.
"This really opens the whole board for us," Poles explained. "So, we're going to be able to sit back and look and say 'what's the best thing to do for the Chicago Bears?' and who's the best player available that can impact. So, we got some tough decisions and a lot of film to watch between now and the draft."
The draft for the Bears officially begins with the 10th overall pick, and Poles has all but declared that the board will be wide open. The Bears aren't going into this thing trying to force one position over the other. They're going to assess what happens before their pick and then choose the best possible player on the board.
What does that entail?
Bears Draft Options With Best Player Available In Mind
Let's first start with the big name in running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty is an incredible talent destined to be drafted in the top half of the first-round in April. Could the Bears spend a Top-10 pick at such an undervalued position?
Crazier things have happened before, so don't rule it out. Jeanty met with Chicago representatives including Poles and head coach Ben Johnson at the Combine, and is expected to meet with the team again ahead of the draft. This thing could actually happen, if another team doesn't snatch him first.
Option #2 would be continuing to strengthen the defensive front. The Bears already added Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett to the unit that already featured Montez Sweat, Gervon Dexter, Andrew Billings, and Austin Booker. But, you can never have enough talent on the defensive line.
If a top DL prospect falls such as Mason Graham on the interior, or if one of the top edge rushers like Shemar Stewart or Mykel Williams fit the bill, why not pull the trigger.
And finally, the offensive line. Poles and Johnson have done an incredible job retooling the starting five with three new additions on the interior but the team still needs some long-term solutions. That includes left tackle with Braxton Jones entering the final year of his rookie contract while coming off a serious injury.
Someone like Will Campbell makes sense if he's available. The team could even have a high grade on Josh Simmons, saying all the medicals come clean following a serious injury of his own.
And that's just the first of seven selections the Bears currently have possession of in April's draft. There's a lot of avenues to take with those seven picks and the front office will take their time evaluating all the options that could fall in front of them.
