The Chicago Bears will have their work cut out for them over the next few weeks in an effort to upgrade the roster in the most strategic way possible, without much capital to work with either.

As things stand, the Bears are roughly $5 million under the cap and will need to clean up immediate space before even thinking about any re-signings or additions. In the draft, the Bears hold the 25th overall pick in the first-round and seven total selections.

Before we get into the offseason, now is the ideal time to break down what the Bears actually need and what the best way to address those positions of need will be. Let’s get into it.

Need No. 1: Safety

Without question, this is the biggest need on the team because the Bears quite literally do not have a single safety under contract for the 2026 season. This position will see the most change out of any position on the team compared to the 2025 roster.

Starting safeties Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker headline the list of pending free agents for the Bears. Byard seems like an obvious re-signing after posting an All-Pro season with a smaller market expected compared to Brisker. The Bears will need at least one new starter and revamped depth.

Best way to address: One starting-caliber FA AND one mid-round draft pick

Need No. 2: Interior Defensive Line

As much as everyone wants to talk about adding an elite edge rusher, the interior of the defensive line is much more of a need for this team. Chicago will have both starters returning in Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter, but neither player proved to be promising on the interior.

Not to mention the position is set to lose Andrew Billings and Chris Williams. With the amount of money tied into the defensive line, the safe bet is adding cheaper talent to the room via younger draft picks. Going that route makes sense with some top defensive tackle prospects such as Kayden McDonald, Caleb Banks, Lee Hunter, and Peter Woods within range of the team’s top draft picks..

Best way to address: Use either the first OR second-round draft selection

Need No. 3: Linebacker

While not officially released yet, Tremaine Edmunds is a dead man walking in Chicago and will be a cap casualty in the coming days. When that happens, the need for a starting linebacker raises astronomically for the Bears, especially considering the team’s other starting linebacker, T.J. Edwards, is recovering from a fractured fibula that will keep him out for the majority of the offseason.

The Bears used a fourth-round pick last year to select Ruben Hyppolite II but didn’t get much use out of him to justify any starting-level confidence. This position will need an immediate starter and one that knows the system already would be best to lead the position throughout the summer, which makes a free agent such as Demario Davis or Kaden Ellis an enticing option to pursue as opposed to drafting another mid-round option.

Best way to address: Sign a FA with scheme familiarity

Need No. 4: Defensive End

And now we finally get to the defensive end position, which frankly isn’t a big of a need as many seem to suggest. The Bears are set to have Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Shemar Turner all under contract next season. Ideally, you’d like to add another impact player to the mix, especially with Odeyingbo and Turner coming off a season-ending injury.

The Bears have multiple ways to do so. Chicago could spend big on a player such as Maxx Crosby, Trey Hendrickson, Khalil Mack, or Bradley Chubb. The bargain-hunt free agents are appealing as well such as Azeez Ojulari, D.J. Wonnum, Kingsley Enagbare, or Arnold Ebiketie. Option three is using one of the top draft picks on an edge rusher, and it’s a deep class to even explore drafting multiple.

Best way to address: Mid-level signing and second-round pick, OR multiple draft picks

Need No. 5: Left Tackle

One could argue that left tackle should be ranked higher on this list after Ozzy Trapilo’s recent patellar tendon injury. Trapilo is set to miss the majority of the 2026 season and could be shut down for the entire season to fully recover for the 2027 season.

With that being the case, the Bears already brought back Theo Benedet as an option to compete for the starting job in 2026 and have Kiran Amegadjie as another option to continue developing. I’d look to add one more experience tackle to the mix, whether that’s re-signing Braxton Jones or adding another free agent. Using another draft pick on the position doesn’t make since right now until the Bears see how Trapilo looks after his recovery process. What you need now is a stop-gap veteran.

Best way to address: One-year deal with an experienced free agent

Chicago Bears News

Bears Mock Offseason: Restructures, extensions, trades, free agent signing predictions, and mock draft

First crack at predicting Ben Johnson’s plan of attack going into Year 2 with the Chicago Bears.

Kole Noble