This Day 2 Draft Target Could Be a Massive Game-Changer for the Chicago Bears

The defensive tackle position was one of the Chicago Bears' most glaring weaknesses entering this offseason. They will be returning their two starters in Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter, but the duo flat-out didn't play well last season. Neither did anyone else on the interior, for that matter. That's why they let all their other pending free agents walk.

While Dexter finished the year with a respectable six sacks, he was a complete non-factor against the run. He also struggled to get consistent pressure outside of the quality sack production. Meanwhile, Jarrett looked like a shell of his former self and was a complete non-factor in the pass-rush department.

The Bears addressed the defensive interior by signing Neville Gallimore, James Lynch, and Kentavius Street via free agency. However, only Gallimore is a lock to make the roster and provide an impact in 2026. The two others can be cut with virtually no dead cap hit, as they both signed contracts just north of the veteran minimum.

After free agency, the defensive tackle position is still one of their most glaring weaknesses. Honestly, though, I'm not surprised by this. They already have a lot of money tied up in the defensive line, and I didn't expect them to make a big splash there unless it was for a veteran edge (simply because of how many were available). I know analysts mention how weak this year's defensive tackle class is, but there are still some really solid early-round options.

I previously mentioned that I don't think the Bears should leave the first two rounds without addressing the defensive tackle position, and that was before they acquired another second-rounder for DJ Moore. I'm still on board with that mindset, as the depth at the position falls off after day two.

I could see the Bears having interest in Clemson's Peter Woods or Ohio State's Kayden McDonald in the first round. However, I think University of Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton is an even better fit for Chicago's defense if they wanted to wait until day two to address the position.

Halton is one of the most explosive interior pass-rushers in this year's draft. The Oklahoma product finished in the top five among DTs in every drill he participated in at the NFL Scouting Combine. I imagine that stood out to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who has always liked defensive tackles who can MOVE.

The Saints' two highest-drafted defensive tackles during his nine-year tenure in New Orleans, Sheldon Rankins and Bryan Bresee, were two of the best athletes among the linemen available in their respective classes. Halton certainly fits that billing.

All he did at the combine was check off the box that he was already expected to, though. Unlike some workout warriors, his movement skills show up on tape. He has unreal get-off (something Gervon Dexter sorely lacks) and has a knack for using his quickness to shoot gaps. He also has some quality pass-rush moves that allow him to collapse pockets.

Now, there's a reason that Halton isn't a first-round lock. He's a lot closer to Kobie Turner (which is still a good thing) than he is to Aaron Donald. His 31 1/8" arms are very short for a defensive tackle. He ranks in the fourth percentile among defensive tackles there (according to MockDraftable). When he gets locked up by bigger linemen, his lack of power (he's also undersized at 293 lbs.) occasionally causes him to get taken out of plays.

I shipped Halton to Chicago in the third round of my mock draft from a few weeks ago, but I honestly don't know whether he'll still be on the board at pick 89. He's a late riser who might be gone by the time the third round rolls around. If that is the case, then I hope he lands in Chicago with one of their two second-round picks. I think he's going to be a very good player for whoever lands him.