The Chicago Bears are confident and prepared for the upcoming NFL draft, emphasizing adaptability and team decisions. GM Ryan Poles noted a positive energy shift in the offseason program under Coach Ben Johnson.
Key points
Chicago Bears are prepared for the NFL draft.
Jeff King is the new assistant general manager.
Ryan Poles noted a positive energy shift in the organization.
Focus on player improvement and health during the offseason.
“As we head into this weekend, we’re prepared, we’ll be adaptable,” said Jeff King, addressing the local media for the first time in his new role as assistant general manager. “We’ll make the best decisions for the team today and going forward.”
GM Ryan Poles, who made only an opening statement before handing off to King, said he likes where the offseason program has started.
“You can feel the energy shift in the building,” Poles said. “Coach (Ben Johnson) has got a really good program for those guys trying to get on that path to a championship.
“They’re working through their action plans, where to improve their game. They’re meeting with their position coaches. They’re with the performance team working on their bodies to get in shape for this upcoming season, to stay healthy.”
And bonding.
“Last year, you all heard about how close this team was,” Poles said. “It was very intentional. They were intentional about it. They got together. They golfed together. They had barbecues, dinners at the house.
“We want to encourage that this offseason. Continue to build a strong locker room.”
Here are three more things we learned Tuesday at Halas Hall.
1. The Bears are satisfied with their options at No. 25.
“The goal by the end of the weekend is to add talent competition,” King said. “I’ll leave you with this: We’re after competitors. The best players and teams I’ve been around and been on compete daily. Not just on Sundays in the fall.
“There’s been a lot said about this draft. I think there’s a lot of good football players in it, players that can help us and fit our culture.”
Some draft experts have lamented the scarcity of blue-chip prospects in this year’s draft.
“I don’t think it’s a shallow draft, I just think that there’s not much top-end talent,” said draft analyst Walter Cherepinsky, founder of . “If you ask teams how many first-round prospects there are, I think they would probably say between 16 and 20 (versus the typical 23 to 24 first-round grades).
Q&A
What did the Chicago Bears say about their preparation for the NFL draft?
The Chicago Bears expressed confidence in their preparation for the NFL draft, stating they are adaptable and ready to make the best decisions for the team.
Who is Jeff King and what is his role with the Chicago Bears?
Jeff King is the new assistant general manager of the Chicago Bears, addressing the media about the team's draft readiness.
What improvements are the Chicago Bears focusing on during the offseason?
The Chicago Bears are focusing on improving their game through action plans, meetings with position coaches, and working with the performance team to stay healthy.
How has the energy shifted within the Chicago Bears organization?
GM Ryan Poles noted a positive energy shift in the building, attributing it to Coach Ben Johnson's effective offseason program.
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“It’s pretty bad at the top, but I do think it kind of levels out, like once you get to pick 25 or maybe 30 or so. I don’t think it’s that much different (at) 50 or 60 this year.”
King pushed back on the notion there won’t be many prospects still on the board who would be worth the 25th pick in most drafts.
There will be “enough for us to pick,” he said. “Like, we’re not going to get to 25 and say: ‘Well, we don’t have any first-round picks. We’re not going to pick.’ We feel really good about where we are.
“We feel really good about if we have to move back, if we have to move up. We’re going to stay adaptable. We’re going to listen to the board and pick the best players available.”
Some conventional wisdom says the Bears won’t select a defensive lineman — their greatest need — because the best available prospect is likely to be one of the draft’s top safeties: Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman or Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
That notion is bolstered by the fact that former Seattle Seahawk Coby Bryant looks like the only lock for a starting safety spot among the defensive backs currently on the roster.
However, King said, “Coby provides us with a ton of flexibility and versatility. We can mix and match back there. (Free-agent signee) Cam (Lewis) started the (Buffalo Bills’) playoff game (against) Denver at safety. Elijah Hicks has started games here. We are in a position where we can add to the room.
“We feel confident in the guys we have acquired and that we’ve had in the building, where if we had to go play tomorrow, we would.”
2. Linebacker T.J. Edwards is optimistic he’ll be practicing by summer.
In the initial moments after breaking his fibula in the comeback wild-card win against the Green Bay Packers, Edwards thought he had simply rolled his ankle. This was in the second quarter, as the Bears dug themselves into a 21-3 hole at halftime.
Alas, the injury proved much worse. The broken fibula signaled an end to Edwards’ season and a long road to recovery. The Lake Villa native had waited three years to reach that moment — a playoff game at Soldier Field against the hated Packers.
“It hurts, man,” Edwards said Tuesday. “It hurts to be knocked out of a game like that.”
Edwards spent the second half in the locker room watching on TV. He celebrated with his teammates after arguably the greatest comeback in franchise history.
“I got to celebrate with the guys and all that, hopping around — which was probably not what I should have been doing,” Edwards said with a laugh. “Just excited to be a part of it because, in this city, there’s nothing better than when the Bears are winning.”
As veteran players returned to Halas Hall this week to begin the voluntary offseason program, Edwards didn’t want to put an exact timeline on his return. But Edwards, 29, is optimistic he’ll be back on the practice field with his teammates “come summertime.”
“I will push as hard as I can to move it as quickly as possible, but I also want to be smart about it too,” Edwards said. “It is April, and as hard as it is for me to not be out there during phase one (of the offseason program), I know that I’m on a really good plan with the trainers. I’ll be ready when it’s time to go.”
Bears players vote on the award, which goes annually to one veteran and one rookie who exemplify Piccolo’s courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor. Edwards has won the veteran award three years in a row.
Loveland said that while learning about Piccolo, he was moved by his interracial friendship with Sayers at a time when such relationships went against social norms.
“Just knowing that he was like, ‘Forget what everyone else is saying,’” Loveland said. “You can kind of relate that to today’s world, where a lot’s going on with social media, a lot of people are divided. They came together and really stood on that and really believed that. That’s something special.”
3. The Bears will work toward an extension with right tackle Darnell Wright.
“We’ll work on a potential extension here in the near future,” Poles said. “We’ll see how that goes.”
The Bears offensive line has been clouded by uncertainty at left tackle, where they were dealt a blow by Ozzy Trapilo’s knee injury in the wild-card game, and at center, where they will turn to newcomer Garrett Bradbury after Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman’s sudden retirement.
Wright, a 2025 second-team All-Pro, and guard Jonah Jackson offer stability on the right side.
“Darnell has been a Day 1 starter since he’s been here,” King said. “He’s been a good player and hopefully he’ll be here for years to come.”
