If last offseason was about rebuilding the Chicago Bears’ offense, this one is shaping up to be about stabilizing and reshaping the defense.
A year ago, Ryan Poles attacked the offensive line from every angle, adding four new starters through a mix of the draft, free agency, and trades. The result was tangible progress. This offseason calls for a similar approach on the other side of the ball, where needs are both obvious and unavoidable.
The defensive line needs help on the edge and inside. Linebacker depth is suddenly uncertain, with Tremaine Edmunds a potential cap casualty and T.J. Edwards coming off a fractured fibula suffered in Chicago’s Wild Card win over Green Bay. And the secondary could look dramatically different, with four safeties (including Kevin Byard III, Jaquan Brisker, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson) all on expiring contracts.
David Banks-Imagn ImagesThat’s what makes this weekend in Mobile so important.
The Senior Bowl is the Bears’ first real look at the 2026 draft class in an NFL environment, including practices, one-on-ones, interviews, and schematic fits. For Bears fans, it’s also the first chance to start connecting dots between roster holes and potential answers. The game kicks off Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CT on NFL Network, but the real work has been happening all week.
Here are some names Bears fans should know.
Edge Rushers to Watch
With Chicago needing to inject youth and upside into its pass rush, Clemson’s T.J. Parker feels like a natural fit.
Parker has been one of the most consistent standouts during Senior Bowl practices. At 6-foot-3 and 263 pounds, he checks the size and length boxes Dennis Allen has historically favored on the edge. He plays with power, understands leverage, and doesn’t look overwhelmed when asked to win one-on-one.
Production backs it up. Parker posted 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss during a breakout sophomore season in 2024 after recording 5.5 sacks as a freshman. While his sack total dipped in 2025, his three-year body of work — 21.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss — still jumps off the page.
© Ken Ruinard – GREENVILLE NEWS-USA TODAY Network via Imagn ImagesAnother edge defender who fits Chicago’s mold is Zion Young out of Missouri. Young measured 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds and flashed repeatedly during one-on-one drills, particularly with a long-arm move that translates cleanly to the next level.
A transfer from Michigan State, Young put together a productive season in the SEC with 6.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss, finishing second in the conference in the latter. He’s regarded as a plus run defender, something that matters for a Bears defense that struggled to consistently set the edge.
Interior Defensive Line
If Chicago is serious about getting tougher up front, the interior matters just as much.
Lee Hunter may not be the headliner on Texas Tech’s defensive line, but he’s one of the more intriguing watches in Mobile. Hunter checks in at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, and he moves far better than most players his size. He showed strong lower-body power in practice, held up against double teams, and looked like a player who could take another step with NFL strength training.
So the theme of the day is Lee Hunter absolutely dominating the senior bowl pic.twitter.com/YgO1Gih4VE
— Bengal (@BengalYouTube) January 27, 2026Hunter’s path has been winding — redshirted at Auburn, three years at UCF, then a breakout season at Texas Tech — but his best game came on a big stage, when he posted seven tackles and two tackles for loss against Oregon in the Orange Bowl.
Another interior name generating buzz is Florida’s Caleb Banks, a classic boom-or-bust evaluation. At 6-foot-6 and 335 pounds with 35-inch arms, Banks has rare measurables. A foot injury limited him last season, but when he’s right, he flashes disruptive ability that few players in this class can match.
The day that was for Caleb Banks. A reminder this kid is 330+ pounds… pic.twitter.com/uRnQH5PI22
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) January 28, 2026The concern is consistency, particularly against the run. But in the right system, with the right coaching, Banks looks like the type of player you can build a defensive front around. Banks is likely a Day 2 pick with a wide range of outcomes.
Linebackers Rising
Linebacker may quietly be one of Chicago’s most pressing needs, and the Senior Bowl has delivered options.
Pitt’s Kyle Louis has been excellent in practice. An All-American in 2024, Louis stuffed the stat sheet with 101 tackles, seven sacks, and four interceptions before following it up with another productive season. He plays fast, processes quickly, and looks comfortable in space; traits that matter in today’s NFL.
Pitt LB Kyle Louis is continuing his strong Senior Bowl week. Nice job running the route for the RB in 1-on-1s and an interception to the house. pic.twitter.com/Rg88Fv3bDL
— Ross McCorkle (@Ross_McCorkle) January 29, 2026Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech might’ve had the single best practice of the week on Wednesday. He forced a fumble, picked off a pass, and backed up a senior season that earned him significant recognition. According to Daniel Jeremiah, multiple teams have been impressed by his interviews, in which his football intelligence stood out.
Rodriguez feels like the kind of mid-round linebacker who outperforms his draft slot — something the Bears have benefited from in the past.
This is every one-on-one rep for Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez in coverage at the Senior Bowl:He was beating the crap out of these poor RBs. pic.twitter.com/LQL2n5gBzP
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) January 30, 2026Offensive Tackle as a Secondary Need
Depending on how the Bears evaluate the left tackle position, the draft could come into play there as well.
Ozzy Trapilo’s future is murky after a ruptured patellar tendon cut his season short, and while Chicago may look for a veteran bridge, the draft remains an option.
Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor looks the part. At 6-foot-5 and 325 pounds with good length, he’s still relatively new to football after growing up playing soccer and basketball. He didn’t begin playing the sport until 2021, which leaves evaluators wondering how much untapped upside remains.
Iheanachor feels like a likely second-round pick with a chance to creep into the back of Round 1. If the Bears address a more urgent defensive need at No. 25 and circle back to tackle later, that could be a smart balancing act.
Arizona State RT Max Iheanachor was a "winner" on day 2 of practice. Coordinated athlete in space, esp for 325 pounds. His hand use and awareness continue to improve. Exciting upside here. pic.twitter.com/00oQ2Y2HOc
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 29, 2026Hence then, the article about chicago bears senior bowl primer defensive needs take center stage in mobile was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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