LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — After going an NFL-worst 3-14 in 2022, the Bears have had a busy offseason and believe they're an improved team, but they still have clear needs to address on the roster.
Entering their second draft led by general manager Ryan Poles, the Bears will have an opportunity to add premium young talent when the NFL Draft begins Thursday evening. Chicago currently boasts 10 selections, including the No. 9 overall pick and four picks in the first 64 slots.
With that in mind, the Bears will prioritize selecting the best player available with the No. 9 pick rather than finding a prospect who fits a particular positional need, assistant general manager Ian Cunningham said Tuesday.
“Those needs kind of get ironed out with the whole process,” Cunningham said. “But ultimately, it’s the best player available. I think when you get into Day 3 and you kind of look at the board horizontally, you see some positions are maybe a little bit more robust than others and I think that’s where you kind of have to finesse it a little bit.”
The Bears have six to eight prospects in the top tier of their draft board who are considered blue-chip players, Cunningham said. That group includes quarterbacks, general manager Ryan Poles said previously.
In March, Chicago traded the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina in exchange for No. 9 overall, No. 61 overall in the second round, a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and receiver DJ Moore.
The Bears added to their defense in March with the signings of linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards in free agency but passed on the top offensive tackles and defensive linemen available on the open market as the price points rose beyond their comfort level.
The Bears still have pressing needs at offensive tackle and defensive tackle as they head into the NFL Draft, and Cunningham understands this is a pivotal opportunity as they look to build the franchise into a contender.
“Pressure's a privilege,” Cunningham said. “At least for us, you look at this as a draft. We’re excited about it. You try to keep yourself in the moment and stay in the moment. But we try not to put much more pressure on it than we really need.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
Listen to our new podcast Courier Pigeon
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!