The Chicago Bears knew they had to strengthen the trenches this offseason.
Not only was rookie quarterback Caleb Williams the most sacked quarterback in the NFL last season, but the Bears also ranked 24th as a team in pass-rush win rate. General manager Ryan Poles is surely cognizant of the fact that opposing quarterbacks were all too comfortable against his team in 2024.
The Bears invested in their defensive line in free agency with a pair of signings: defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo. But barring a last-minute trade for a game-breaker like Trey Hendrickson, Chicago could still consider themselves one body short up front.
Accordingly, one NFL writer believes the Bears will fortify their defensive line in the upcoming draft, while still facilitating a trade that nets them more picks down the road.
On Sunday, Chicago Bears On SI’s Pete Martuneac predicted that the Bears would trade their ninth-overall pick to the Indianapolis Colts for the 14th pick, a 2025 third-rounder and a 2026 fifth-rounder. Martuneac then mock-drafted Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant to Chicago.
“Grady Jarrett is entering his 11th season, and Dayo Odeyingbo is a boom-or-bust candidate,” Martuneac wrote. “So, with his first pick, Poles brings in an explosive nose tackle to fortify the line for the future.
“Grant is mostly seen as an elite run-stuffer, but he offers incredible upside as a pass rusher. If he hits that ceiling, he would be a perennial All-Pro. I trust defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, as well as veterans Grady Jarrett and Andrew Billings, to coach him up to that potential.”
Grant, 21, is a 6-foot-3, 340-pounder who racked up three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, and five pass breakups this past season. He is frighteningly athletic for someone his size, and could develop into an elite interior pass-rusher in addition to his run-stopping skills.
Securing Grant and netting more potentially-useful draft picks in the process would have to be considered a win for Poles and the Bears.
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