Bears' Agility, Adaptability Makes Chicago Total Wild Card at No. 25 in NFL Draft

Why the Chicago Bears should be considered unpredictable heading into the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles. | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

For any Chicago Bears fans thinking they have things figured out or are even close to having things figured out when it comes to what the team will do in the 2026 NFL Draft, don't count your chickens before they hatch.

One of the reasons that's the case is because general manager Ryan Poles has repeatedly stated that he goes by a best player available strategy, which means he isn't going to just reach for a player because the Bears have a need at a certain position.

And that's something assistant general manager Jeff King reiterated during his pre-draft presser on Tuesday.

"If it’s equal, the need may come into play here or there. But at the end of the day, you’re not going to go wrong by taking the best football player," King explained, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

"I think we all agree with that. And so if it’s somewhat on the same plane, maybe the positions come into play. But as we see it, we’re going to take the best football player for now and the future," he added.

That approach no doubt makes the Bears a total wild card, and that is especially true in a draft that is as wide open as this one. But that isn't the only reason Chicago is a total wild card.

Adaptability and agility

Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Another trait of the Bears that makes them unpredictable in the draft is the coaching staff's willingness to adapt and change.

While head coach Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen might have a certain type at each position, neither one is afraid to adjust their mold to try new things, which only further broadens the range of players the Bears can take.

“Ben and (defensive coordinator) Dennis (Allen) and HT (special teams coordinator Richard Hightower), they’re not done being creative, which makes it fun for us,” King said. “If we have to be a little bit different, if we have to look a little bit different, be a little more versatile here and there, they’re willing to change. They’re willing to adapt and we have to move along with that. That’s the fun part.”

We know Poles doesn't mind making moves during the draft, with the Bears general manager having traded both up and down (he trades down much more often) over his tenure in Chicago.

Yet another reason the Bears are unpredictable, Poles says the team's agility means it's ready for anything.

"If things start to shift and move, we're agile enough to make adjustments," Poles said when addressing the media Tuesday. "If that's moving up, moving back, we'll be ready for anything that comes our way."

When putting it all together, don't say we didn't warn you when the Bears go on and do something you didn't expect on Thursday night, or at any point during the draft.