The Chicago Bears first-round pick has to be a home run. The Bears must hit on that pick to keep themselves headed in the right direction.
The first week of NFL free agency has seen its dust settle. The Chicago Bears made some great moves to start the free agency period. They traded for two guards, Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, and brought in two defensive linemen, Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. They also signed Drew Dalman, a center, to help solidify the offensive line.
However, the Bears aren’t quite done yet. They have the 2025 NFL Draft to look forward to. With their free agent signings, they now can be much more flexible with what they do in the draft. There isn’t a rush to get a player at a specific position of need (even though that’s never out of the question). Chicago can be a little bit choosier with the choices they make.
But they can’t be careless with their pick.
A Peek at the Chicago Bears First-Round Pick Possibilities
The first week of the 2025 NFL Free Agency Period has concluded. What could the Chicago Bears do at number one in the draft now?
Trading Down
One scenario that seems to fit the Bears well is for them to find a willing trade partner to trade down in the first round and get additional picks. For the value and knowing what we now know following the first week of free agency, this might just be the best way for the Bears to go.
Getting additional picks would be a huge benefit to the Bears. They can grab a lot of great young talent that can help them in the future.
Still, if the Bears want to win now, and of course they do, they may want to choose some talent in the first round of the draft at the tenth spot and get that player on the field immediately.
Keep the First-Round Pick: Offense
There are some great options at number ten in the 2025 NFL Draft. There have been a few names thrown around as to who the Bears should take.
Ashton Jeanty, the powerful running back from Boise State, is someone that the Bears could target. Some people have mentioned that the Bears might be interested in a tight end, such as Penn State’s Tyler Warren. But the tenth pick overall is just a little bit too soon to take him and with Cole Kmet on the roster, the Bears don’t need a flashy tight end in the first round.
An offensive tackle would make a lot of sense at number ten and there are some good ones that would be worth taking. Guys like Will Campbell and even Armand Membou would be worthy of being picked at this point. They could step in, start out of the gate, and solidify the Bears’ offensive line.
Keep the First-Round Pick: Defense
On the defensive side of the ball, it’s highly unlikely that guys like Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham will be there when the Bears pick. If one of them were to fall to ten, Chicago would have little choice other than to take them and make their defense a stellar one.
There are some other defensive players who might be available when Chicago makes their pick. Any of the guys rated around the tenth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, guys like Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr., and edge rusher or Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart would be good picks for the Bears.
Best Player Available
The best player available approach is always a good one. When you are in the kind of situation that the Bears are in, they just might be able to pull it off. They could pick a player, no matter what the position is, and have them start right away.
Of course, they can skip the quarterback position. Any other position is pretty much open game in the first round.
Other Needs
The Bears are a team that is headed in the right direction. That’s clear. They have built up the trenches and need to add just a piece or two more there.
They might want to add to the linebacker corps a bit too, especially if they are going to a 4-3 defense. Depth in the secondary is a must as well, especially with Jaquan Brisker a wildcard when it comes to concussions.
The Bears are seldom, if ever, in a position where they can be a little flexible with things. They are always losing and in a rebuilding state. This year, even though they are still in a position to rebuild, they do have some flexibility. However, they still need to make the right decision in this year’s NFL Draft.
Main Photo: Joe Rondone – Imagn Images
