With a pair of second-round picks in next week’s NFL Draft in their possession, the Chicago Bears are uniquely positioned to swing a trade.
But which way should they go?
We spent a chunk of the most recent installment of The Bleacher Nation Bears Podcast exploring trade-back options for Chicago’s football team. Matt, Patrick, and I agreed that there was more value in adding picks than in sticking with the selections we had when we began our mock draft exercise. Simply put, having more picks allowed us to fill more holes in a draft that is light on stars but appears to have ample depth at positions that the Bears should be looking to bolster. With that being said, I’m not against the idea of trading UP in the draft — especially if it meant that Chicago could land a blue-chip talent.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell identifies 10 teams that should trade up (or down) in the 2026 NFL Draft. When it comes to the Bears, Barnwell builds a case for General Manager Ryan Poles to move up from pick No. 25. And for what it’s worth, the team does have the ammo to pull it off.
“The Bears have pick Nos. 25, 57, 60, and 89 over the first two days of the draft,” Barnwell writes. “And though they shouldn’t be treating this as an all-in opportunity, this regime has a chance to move up and target a much-needed difference-maker up front.”
New Era NFL Draft hats at the 2025 NFL Draft Experience at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesShould the Chicago Bears Trade Up in the 2026 NFL Draft?
As for what it could cost the Bears to move up, Barnwell lays it out in a way that makes me think that this kind of move isn’t some pie-in-the-sky idea:
By the Jimmy Johnson chart, packaging No. 25 with the 60th pick they landed from the Bills should be enough to get the Bears up to No. 16, where the Jets could be interested in trading down and adding more selections. They would also jump the Lions in the process, a division rival who should be looking at edge rushers with their first selection. There’s nothing wrong with staying put and holding on to both second-rounders, of course, but this could be an opportunity for Poles to both hit his biggest position of need and steal an opportunity away from a divisional foe in the process.
Trading up to get a blue-chip player who can bring an immediate impact ot the ballclub is a dream scenario. But I had not considered trading up to get that player while also leapfrogging the Detroit Lions in the process. That would be a fun double-dip for the Bears front office. As we discussed in Wednesday’s Bullets, the Lions and Bears have similar needs. So jumping over Detroit in the NFL Draft is a sensible idea.
Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY SportsIn this hypothetical NFL Draft trade-up scenario, the Bears would use pick Nos. 25 and 60 (which came to Chicago via the DJ Moore trade) to slide into the No. 16 spot with the New York Jets. Using ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft as a guide, the following players could be on the board for the Bears if they were able to successfully move up into where the Jets are picking at No. 16:
Monroe Freeling, Georgia left tackle Dillon Thieneman, Oregon safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo safety Peter Woods, Clemson defensive tackle Blake Miller, Clemson offensive tackleTHE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
In theory, trading up to get an impact player is something I’d be OK with the Bears doing. However, I’d only be on board with the team doing so if the right player is available. I can only speak for myself, but I am not comfortable trading up to draft a safety. And if the board breaks the way Kiper predicts, staying with pick No. 25 and picking Zion Young (Missouri EDGE), Max Iheanachor (Arizona State OT), Christen Miller (Georgia DT), or Akheem Mesidor (Miami EDGE) would make far more sense than trading up.
If I had my druthers, the Bears would trade back, collect draft capital (bonus points if you can snag some picks in 2027), and continue building out a roster that would welcome useful depth with open arms. However, I can be talked into being OK with Chicago trading UP to secure an impact player who can be a difference-maker upon arrival. Having a volume of picks is cool. But you know what is cooler than that? Having a butt-kicking game-changer on your roster.
2026 NFL DRAFT: WHO DOES MEL KIPER JR. HAVE THE BEARS TAKING?
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