Which LBs should Bears consider targeting in 2026 NFL Draft after Tremaine Edmunds' trade request? 

Linebacker wasn't considered one of the Chicago Bears' bigger needs entering the offseason, but they should now consider targeting one in the 2026 NFL Draft.

On Wednesday, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported the Bears have granted linebacker Tremaine Edmunds permission to seek a trade. The two-time Pro Bowl LB, who turns 28 on May 2, is entering the final year of his contract in 2026 and is set to make $15M. He would likely seek an extension with his new team. 

If he isn't traded, the defender could become a salary-cap casualty. Regardless, Edmunds' departure would leave a sizeable hole in Chicago's front seven. However, the Bears could fill that in the 2026 draft, considered deep at LB. 

Who could replace Tremaine Edmunds? 

Edmunds missed four games because of a groin injury in 2025 but led the Bears in tackles (112 in 13 games). Fellow Chicago LBs T.J. Edwards (67 total tackles) and Noah Sewell (59 total tackles) weren't as productive.  

The Bears went 11-6 in 2025 and won their first playoff game since the 2010 season. Their defense, however, had a turbulent year. Despite leading the league in takeaways (33), the unit ranked 29th in yards allowed (361.8 yards per game) and 23rd in points surrendered (24.4 points per game). 

Chicago's defense will continue to struggle if it doesn't find an adequate replacement for Edmunds, which they could find in the 2026 draft. The class features Georgia Bulldogs LB CJ Allen (6-foot-1, 235 pounds) and Texas Tech Red Raiders LB Jacob Rodriguez (6-foot-1, 233 pounds). 

Allen was named a 2025 first-team All-American after recording a career-high 88 tackles in 13 games. Rodriguez, meanwhile, won the Butkus Award as the best LB in college football after leading the nation in forced fumbles (seven in 14 games). 

The Bears could use pick No. 25 on Allen or wait until Day 2 to see if they can scoop up Rodriguez. As of Wednesday night, NFL MockDraft Database projects that the Texas Tech star is a second-rounder.

Either LB could be a good choice for the Bears, who must replace Edmunds if they move on from him. They want to continue re-establishing themselves as the "Monsters of the Midway" in 2026 and need a formidable linebacking corps to do so.