Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles hints at trade for pass-rusher

Imagn Images

Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles hints at trade for pass-rusher

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Jordan Sigler | Last updated Apr 26, 2026 12:06 AM ET

The Chicago Bears entered the 2026 NFL Draft needing help at left tackle, defensive line, and safety.

The Bears addressed one of those issues, taking Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 pick.

Chicago took Georgia Tech defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg in the sixth round, which will add competition to the interior part of the offensive line, but head coach Ben Johnson can’t rely on the Day 3 project to be a Week 1 starter for a team that has aspirations of winning the Super Bowl.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles defended his choice not to cook the board by drafting for a position of need at defensive line. He took the best player available, adding help at tight end in the third round to complement Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland instead of trying to get a pass-rusher.

Poles believes that current players on the roster at defensive line can become better pass-rushers with better coaching. Johnson agrees, though it’s a wonder why the staff waited until 2026 to correct the problem.

The Chicago Bears are poised for a trade

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Poles also hinted that the Bears could be active in trying to land a defensive end or tackle via trade or free agency.

“We were disciplined. We were following the board and the best player that was available to us,” Poles said during his news conference on Saturday. “One thing we take real seriously is each year we’ll go back and review our process and review the draft and see where we could’ve done something a little bit different and learn from that and just keep getting better as we go.

“But I like the approach that we had. Came away with some really good players. With any position, we’re going to stay active and see what opportunities pop up, and if we can improve our football team, we’ll do it.”

The Bears had interest in trading for Maxx Crosby before free agency started but didn’t like the idea of giving the Las Vegas Raiders two first-rounders for a player coming off a meniscus surgery. That could be a player Chicago checks in on again before the trade deadline if the Raiders stumble early in the season.

Pass-rushers typically become available in the trade market near the preseason. It’ll be interesting to see if Poles is willing to pay a heavy price to get a proven defensive end, because he wasn’t willing to give up any draft capital for a talented rookie who could be developed by a staff that is taking coaching more seriously this year.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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