PFF Takes Aim at Bears' Biggest Weaknesses in 2026 NFL Mock Draft

If the Chicago Bears are to come back strong in 2026, they're going to need these defensive reinforcements.

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With the Super Bowl less than a week away, it's officially mock draft season in the NFL world. Now is the time for fans and analysts alike to pore over the prospects available for the 2026 NFL draft and link them to the teams who could best use their services. For the Chicago Bears, that means adding a whole lot of help on the defensive side of the ball.

That's exactly what Trevor Sikkema and Dalton Wasserman, NFL analysts for Pro Football Focus, did in their recent three-round mock draft for the Chicago Bears. Who do they have donning the navy and orange in 2026? Let's take a look.

1.25 T.J. Parker - Defensive End, Clemson

Getting a pass rusher like Parker could be a case of 'buying low' for the Bears. Parker's 2025 stats didn't come close to his 2024 highs, but don't let that fool you. The entire Clemson team imploded in 2025, and they dragged their dominant defensive end down with them. As Trevor and Dalton say, he's a do-it-all type of player in the same vein as Montez Sweat.

I like this pick a lot, and I think it could become a draft steal if this is how the first round goes. As aforementioned, Parker was held back by an abysmal team in 2025. Entering a Dennis Allen defense and getting to play alongside Montez Sweat could be just what Parker needs to be a true gamechanger in the NFL.

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2.57 Deontae Lawson - Linebacker, Alabama

A prospect I really like for the Bears, defensive tackle Domonique Orange, was still on the board at this point in the mock draft, but Trevor and Dalton passed on him, which I don't necessarily agree with. Instead, They selected Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson, who was probably the last linebacker in the entire draft who could make an impact for the Bears in 2026.

The Bears do need linebacker depth and potentially a new starter, but I would hope that the Bears retain Tremaine Edmunds, despite the $15 million in salary cap space they could free up by releasing him, if they were to spend a second-round pick on a linebacker with a questionable ceiling in the NFL.

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3.89 Tim Keenan III - Defensive Tackle, Alabama

This was a pick I scoffed at initially, but it made more sense as Trevor and Dalton discussed it. There's no denying that Keenan had a down year, but the Alabama captain suffered a high ankle sprain just before the season opener. He was sidelined for four games and played the rest of the year on an ankle that wasn't 100% healthy.

Looking at his previous body of work, we see that Keenan was a difference maker for the Crimson Tide, especially against the run. Meanwhile, the Bears have allowed over 130 rushing yards per game in back-to-back seasons. Getting a solid run-stuffer in the third round of the draft would be a great addition.

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The Bottom Line

Overall, this is a fine mock draft for the Bears that addresses their needs. My only concern is that Chicago would be banking on T.J. Parker's 2025 season being a mirage (it probably is, but we don't know for sure) and that Tim Keenan III won't have any long-term, lingering effects from a pretty significant injury. Additionally, this mock draft did not address the Bears' sudden need at left tackle, which I did in my own 3-round 2026 NFL mock draft.

I have to give this mock a draft a B- grade. I wouldn't be upset about these selections, but they'd all have a lot to prove on the field. In that scenario, I would hope that they make me look as dumb as I did last year when I suggested Colston Loveland was the wrong pick for the Chicago Bears.

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