The Chicago Bears find themselves in a great spot going into the 2026 NFL Draft with four selections in the Top-100, starting with the 25th overall pick in the first-round.

The Bears plan to be patient, allowing the board to work itself out, and rely on their grading to draft the best player available with each of their picks after hearing from general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson.

Armed with that kind of early capital, the Bears could also look to get aggressive next Thursday to ensure they land a top difference-maker. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell doubled-down on that idea in his recent piece exploring potential trade up and trade down teams.

Previously, Barnwell had the Bears trading up to the 11th overall pick with the Miami Dolphins to, in theory, land one of the top edge rushers saying they fall out of the Top-10. That second part alone sounds like wishful thinking. This time around, Barnwell has the Bears trading up to the 16th overall pick and has a valid explanation.

ESPN doubles-down on the idea that the Bears should trade up in the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft

“By the Jimmy Johnson chart, packaging No. 25 with the 60th pick they landed from the Bills should be enough to get the Bears up to No. 16, where the Jets could be interested in trading down and adding more selections,” Barnwell wrote. “They would also jump the Lions in the process, a division rival that should be looking at edge rushers with their first selection. There’s nothing wrong with staying put and holding on to both second-rounders, of course, but this could be an opportunity for Poles to both hit his biggest position of need and steal an opportunity away from a divisional foe in the process.”

Yesterday, I listed four teams that could screw over Chicago’s draft plans if they stick with the 25th overall pick. The Detroit Lions were one of the four teams. That’s because the Lions are a team to watch to potentially land either an edge rusher or an offensive tackle in the first-round.

Both are positions the Bears should look to target as well. Jumping Detroit would ensure the Bears land someone like Akheem Mesidor, Keldric Faulk, Kadyn Proctor Iheanachor, or Caleb Lomu instead of waiting around to see if one of those players fall to pick No. 25.

While it’s a valid theory to consider, I don’t see the Bears making an aggressive move. Having four Top-100 selections is really valuable to further bolster the entire roster. If anything, I see the Bears moving back before considering a trade up.