The Chicago Bears Ended Their Draft With Back-To-Back Bangs — Here’s How
It wasn’t a fun day on day two of the draft for Chicago Bears fans. Going in expecting more investments in defense, they were instead treated to three straight offensive picks. It started with Iowa center Logan Jones, then moved to Stanford tight end Sam Roush, and finally LSU wide receiver Zavion Thomas. What were they thinking? This defense ranked among the worst in the NFL last season. It badly needed help, especially up front. Had head coach Ben Johnson hijacked the process to just take whoever he wanted?
No. There wasn’t any conspiracy behind it. General manager Ryan Poles explained that the draft board just didn’t break their way. Many of the defensive options they liked were gone by the time they were on the clock again, so the Bears went with the best names available. Still, the team wasn’t ready to give up. They felt they could find some help on defense during the final day of action.
It started well with the selection of Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad in the 4th round. However, Poles’ best work may have come with the final two picks. First was taking Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott in the 5th round. A notorious football junkie, he boasts intelligence, leadership, instincts, and enough athleticism and stopping power to man the middle of most defenses.
Lastly, the Bears swung an unexpected trade, packaging their two 7th round picks to jump into the 6th round for Georgia Tech defensive tackle Jordan Van Den Berg. While it took him a while to get going in college, he broke out for three sacks and 11 tackles for a loss in 2025, showcasing rare explosiveness.
The Chicago Bears stuck to their plan.
From the beginning, Johnson said his only goal was to draft good football players. Focus on doing that, and they would figure out the rest later. There is no question that the Bears did that in this draft. Almost all of their picks were highly productive in one form or another. Dillon Thieneman was a terror at safety for Oregon. Jones started several games for the Hawkeyes. Roush was probably the best blocking tight end in college football. Thomas had three return touchdowns. Elliott had 98 tackles, seven sacks, and 14 tackles for a loss last season alone.
Yet it isn’t just that. Every single one of the Bears’ picks is a standout athlete. Poles and Johnson said a major goal this year was improving team speed. They’ve definitely done that. Thieneman ran a 4.35. Thomas ran a 4.28. Jones and Van Den Berg both ran sub-5.00 at 300+ lbs. These kids can run. Few things stress opponents more than having a full roster that can fly. The Chicago Bears took a massive step in that direction, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that every single one of these picks is known for being football lifers.
The competition is everywhere.
Elliott and Van Den Berg aren’t just coming in to serve as backups. Both are more than capable of competing for a starting job. The Bears have left several spots on the defensive side unaccounted for, particularly at linebacker. The upcoming training camp figures to be a slugfest between guys fighting for playing time. Johnson wouldn’t have it any other way. If this team wants to be champions, they need to start operating as if every day might be their last. By making it clear that no one is safe, the sense of urgency increases.
None of these guys will be coming in and accepting the role of a backup. They aim to play football. July and August will be all-out war, and the Bears will be better for it. Having seen the entire picture, it feels like they did a great job with this draft class. None of these guys were added purely for special teams reasons. They can play. Now they just have to go earn it.