Bear Digest

Daniel Jeremiah's 2026 NFL Draft Take Could Be Exactly What the Chicago Bears Need

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah says the 2026 edge class is loaded, aligning perfectly with the Chicago Bears’ biggest offseason need.
Bryan Perez|
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The Chicago Bears' 2026 offseason conversation keeps circling back to the team's pass rush and the need for GM Ryan Poles to level up the talent opposite Montez Sweat.

Now, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has added fuel to that discussion with a revealing assessment of the 2026 NFL Draft class.

"If you need an edge rusher, this is a good draft to double up," Jeremiah wrote on X. "The depth of the class is impressive. I've got 10 guys worthy of a spot in top 50 players. There's another layer of traitsy players beyond that group."

MORE: Latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft Connects Bears to a Fix at One of Their Thinnest Positions

For a Bears team that ranked near the bottom of the league in pass rush win rate in 2025, this year's draft class should offer Poles a chance to climb those rankings.

Chicago enters the 2026 draft cycle needing a long-term complement to Sweat, who remains a foundational piece. However, opposing coordinators have been able to slide protection his way over the last two seasons, and it's resulted in poor pressure numbers.

If you're a fan of Jeremiah's NFL Draft work, then you should feel pretty good about the Bears finally solving that problem in the first round. They might even come away with two edge rushers in the first three rounds.

Early 2026 NFL Draft boards feature names like Zion Young (Missouri), T.J. Parker (Clemson), and Akheem Mesidor (Miami) as late first-round options who could be on the board when the Bears are on the clock at No. 25.

If Jeremiah is correct that 10 edge defenders carry top-50 grades, Chicago could approach the position in a few ways. They could target a first-round "starter" at No. 25. They could trade back (out of the first round), land quality future draft picks, and still get a top player in the mid-second round. Or, do both: use their first and second-round pick on a pass rusher.

If the value is there? Why not.

Elite pass-rush depth is hard to find, and it requires a hefty investment in the NFL Draft to get there. With Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson stabilizing the offense in 2025, attention will turn to the defense this offseason. And that could mean an all-in approach on draft weekend.

According to Daniel Jeremiah, the opportunity is there. Now, it's up to the Chicago Bears if they want to capitalize on it.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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