Bear Digest

A Key Reason to Expect Greater Bears Draft and Free Agency Success

Analysis: The Bears experienced great draft success last year but not as much during free agency, and now see this process as being further ahead.
Gene Chamberlain|
Dennis Allen, Ryan Poles, and Ben Johnson have far more time now to collaborate on their player acquisitions than last year.
Dennis Allen, Ryan Poles, and Ben Johnson have far more time now to collaborate on their player acquisitions than last year. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

One of the reasons for the great strength in last year's Bears draft could have been exaggerated—greatly or otherwise.

This still appears to be a positive for them regarding this year's draft and even for free agency.

The collaboration between coach Ben Johnson and GM Ryan Poles' selections in last year's draft resulted in Colston Loveland, Ozzy Trapilo, Luther Burden III and Kyle Monangai being selected. Or at least it was described this way often last year.

However, while talking with media at the combine this week, Poles revealed the cooperative effort may not have been as extensive as previously understood.

Asked about Johnson's input and how much he's looking forward to it during free agency and the draft, Poles enlightened everyone.

"We've had a lot of conversations," Poles said. "He's even popped in to our draft meetings this past go-around where, last year with the staff, he wasn't able to do that as much."

By that, the Bears GM meant hiring and organizing a new coaching staff took Johnson away from some of the earlier input he could have provided, or studying of talent. And obviously, the staff wasn't able to help as much since they were trying to get the offensive system and defensive scheme organized. They all had later input, which was detailed by both Johnson and Poles after last year's draft. 

The end result was 12-7 after a 5-12 record, a playoff win and overtime loss in the divisional round.

So this year they're working hand in hand even closer and for a longer time.

"So, earlier jump on that," Poles said. "And then through conversations with (Johnson) and (defensive coordinator) DA (Dennis Allen), just in terms of what they're looking for to create an advantage or to improve a unit, the style that we want to play.”

The impact here could be felt in free agency, as well.  Free agency comes so soon after the season and while the Bears were trying to get their offensive and defensive approaches set, the free agency signings were already upon them last offseason.

"The more that we talk and go through or watch guys and have conversations about our own guys, the more clarity we get from what they (coaches) want,” Poles said. “And as a front office, that's all we want to give them, those guys that they want to work with."

With less money to work with, it’s going to be imperative that they do better in free agency than they did in 2025 when Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett came in and didn’t have results like they’d like based on their big contracts.

If coaches and personnel weren't able to collaborate as much last year, or as early as they would have liked, for the draft, it only stands to reason it was even a tougher obstacle to overcome for free agency. After all, free agency occurs only several weeks after the season and coach hiring phase ends.

They’ve had a full year watching and assessing their own personnel for free agency and the draft when last year was a rushd and less thorough attempt on both counts.

It can all contribute to a more efficient personnel turnover in a year that could wind up having more of this than 12-7 teams would normally have.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.