3 Chicago Bears Who May Have Just Lost Their Jobs After the Draft

The Bears added some good players in the draft, but many have qualms with their decision not to make more headway in the pass-rush department, which was their biggest weakness on the defensive side of the ball entering the offseason.

There's plenty of reason for optimism when it comes to their rookie class (who am I to question what Ben Johnson sees in a prospect, anyway). Virtually every offensive rookie in the '25 class made valuable contributions down the stretch, after all.

At the same time, it feels like a few defensive players (besides maybe one) came away unscathed when their jobs could've been in jeopardy. Conversely, the roles of some key offensive players are now in trouble.

Which players are on shakier ground with the draft in the rear-view mirror?

Garrett Bradbury

Garrett Bradbury might still be the opening week starter at center. However, his stranglehold on the starting job is much looser than it was a week ago. I fully expected the Bears to target a developmental center in the draft, and I even thought Iowa center Logan Jones would've been their preferred target. I definitely didn't expect them to draft him 57th overall, though. They clearly like Jones enough to make him the first center off the board.

Bradbury is a veteran, and that'll give him the first crack at the starting job. With that said, it'll definitely be an open competition. If Jones proves to be the better player in training camp, then they won't be able to keep him out of the lineup for long. Conversely, even if Bradbury holds onto the starting job early, he'll be hard-pressed to keep it for the whole season. The leash just got a LOT shorter.

Cole Kmet

Cole Kmet's role for the 2026 season is probably safe. Well, for the most part, anyway. He's one of their most underrated offensive weapons and will have a key role in two-tight-end sets. However, with the Bears drafting Stanford tight end Sam Roush with the 69th pick, his targets will surely dip. There are only so many of them to go around, and Kmet will be the one with fewer as a result of the addition (I don't think Colston Loveland's impact will be dwarfed anytime soon). Likewise, his playing time could also dip if Roush provides an immediate impact, as well.

Looking at the bigger picture, I also find it a bit difficult to envision a scenario where 2026 isn't Kmet's last year in Chicago. I know they just restructured his contract, but that actually increased his 2027 cap number to $15.425 million. He won't play out the year at that salary, and they'll probably offload him (hopefully via a trade) next offseason.

Tyrique Stevenson

I really thought Tyrique Stevenson might've miraculously come out of the draft unscathed after the Bears opted to go with an offensive-heavy approach through the first three rounds. However, that mindset changed when they came away with one of the best players left on the board on day three. Their selection of Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad in the fourth round was an absolute steal.

Muhammad might not start from day one (although it's certainly within the realm of possibilities), but he definitely made Stevenson's seat scorching hot. If Stevenson plays like he did last year, then it won't take long for the 21-year-old to grab the starting cornerback job opposite Jaylon Johnson. He's entering the final year of his rookie contract, and hasn't played nearly well enough (or consistently well enough) to warrant an extension, anyway.

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