Bears Believe They Have an Absolute Steal in Promising Rookie

TL;DR

The Chicago Bears believe they have found a valuable rookie defensive lineman after a challenging previous season. They struggled with quarterback sacks and run defense, making this draft pick crucial for improvement.

Key points

Bears had only 35 sacks last season
Ranked 22nd in the NFL for sacks
Allowed sixth-most rushing yards per game
Drafting a defensive lineman was a high priority

Chicago Bears

Bears Believe They Have an Absolute Steal in Promising Rookie

The Chicago Bears were hesitant to draft a defensive lineman early in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Bears struggled to sack the quarterback and stop the run last season. Chicago managed only 35 sacks, ranking 22nd in the NFL, even with Montez Sweat's 10 sacks in 2025.

The Bears also allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game, making an edge rusher or defensive tackle a high priority.

Chicago took Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, Iowa center Logan Jones, Stanford tight end Sam Roush, LSU receiver Zavion Thomas, Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad and Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott all before a defensive lineman.

They addressed the need in the sixth round with Georgia Tech defensive tackle Jordan Van Den Berg.

General Manager Ryan Poles is no stranger to finding hidden gems in the later rounds of previous drafts.

Just last year, he found Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai in the seventh round, who ended up starting for the Bears and finishing second on the team in rushing yards (783).

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Bears' organization believes they have found another late-round steal in Van Den Berg. Fowler thinks that the Bears' plans for Van Den Berg include more than just a typical sixth-rounder.

"The Bears believe they're getting a steal with sixth-round defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg out of Georgia Tech," Fowler said. "Several of his testing numbers hit the highest mark on the Bears' internal scouting scale. My sense is the Bears have plans for him beyond that of a typical sixth-round flier and believe he was one of the more gifted defensive tackles in the draft."

Q&A

What challenges did the Chicago Bears face last season?

The Bears struggled with only 35 sacks, ranking 22nd in the NFL, and allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game.

Why did the Bears prioritize drafting a defensive lineman?

The Bears needed to improve their pass rush and run defense due to their poor performance in these areas last season.

Who is the promising rookie that the Bears are excited about?

The article does not specify the name of the rookie defensive lineman, but the Bears are optimistic about his potential impact.