Analysis: Signing a free agent might be the best route at defensive tackle for the Bears even in this age of collaboration between GM Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson.
In 2004, Lovie Smith had just taken over as Bears head coach and brought in the Tampa 2 defensive style. He needed a tackle for the 3-technique role, the attacking defender who lines up off the guard's outside shoulder and shoots the gap is vital for disruption in his scheme and also sets up the weakside linebacker for making plays.
GM Jerry Angelo drafted Tommy Harris in Round 1. Harris only lasted seven Bears seasons due to injury, was vital to making Super Bowl XLI, but a severe hamstring injury altered his career and prevented him from even playing in the loss to the title game loss to the Colts. Only the Raiders, Colts and Bengals have gone longer at ignoring this vital position in the first round of drafts. Simply for the sake of history itself, the Bears owe it to themselves to find a defensive tackle in the draft's first round. They are, after all, a franchise often associated with great defense. How can a team ignore the position so important that early in the draft so often?One first-round defensive tackle in 40 drafts doesn't do it unless you're hitting on second-round picks, and the only ones they've taken since Harris in that round are Gervon Dexter, Tank Johnson, Eddie Goldman, Ego Ferguson, Will Sutton, and Shemar Turner. They're not sure whether Turner is an end or tackle, and Dexter is fine or even good as long as he's rushing the rusher. Dexter has been a liability as a run defender and that's the first and most important role for a DT. His Pro Football Focus defensive tackle rank as a run defender in 2025 was 107th of 134. He was at 119 of 131 as a rookie in 2023. Last year was a major regression from 39th out of 132 in 2024. When your defense ranks 29th in yards allowed per run and 27th overall against the run, the position closest to the ball on defense might be a good place to start fixing a real problem.seem a little bit more on the ball than many mock drafters when it comes to fitting Bears needs to the first round pick at No. 25. Those two had a DT going to the Bears—different players but a tackle nonetheless.and Sikkema says Texas Tech's Lee Hunter. The Bears’ choice on 32% of internet mock drafts NFL Mock Draft Database tracks is another DT, Caleb Banks from Florida.Lee Hunter is a top 50 player for me. 330-lb NT with heavy hands and a very quick first step for his size. Comfortably the most detailed and instinctive pass rusher in the '26 NT classFortunately for the Bears, analysts see an abundance of defensive tackles and also ends worth taking early in this draft. Unless you like taking lesser players for key defensive line roles, though, you wouldn't take a safety or linebacker in Round 1.It's probably smartest for the Bears to pursue a defensive tackle in free agency, like Houston's Sheldon Rankins, Denver's John Franklin-Myers, Detroit's DJ Reader, Buffalo's DaQuan Jones or Tennessee's Sebastian Joseph-Day.He’s so quick and powerful and has a plethora of moves in his bagThere is little proof GM Ryan Poles can find defensive help beyond defensive backs and signing a DT would let them cover the position in case of another draft dud. Aside from Austin Booker, who has made a recent surge, Poles' defensive line picks are Dexter, Turner, Dominique Robinson, Zacch Pickens and Travis Bell. His linebackers were Ruben Hyppolite and Noah Sewell. It doesn't inspire confidence he can pick players for the front seven. Last year the Bears enjoyed tremendous draft success with four players who made immediate impacts as starters or key rotational players. All were on offense, not coincidentally. Poles didn't enjoy this type of success in the past and the key had to be collaboration with coach Ben Johnson. However, Johnson is an offensive side genius. No one ever said he can advise on defensive matters and the Bears obviously need defensive help. Whether defensive coordinator Dennis Allen steps forth to provide vital assessments on draft picks could determine success at finding the elusive impact defensive tackle.Bryan Bresee’s $12.9M fifth-year option looms 👀 The Saints’ history shows rising costs mean tougher calls 💰 Will New Orleans lock him in for 2027? ⚜️In Allen's time with his scheme installed at New Orleans, the Saints from 2016-24 burned through Rankins, Nick Fairley, John Jenkins, Tyeler Davison, David Onyemata, Malcom Brown, Shy Tuttle, Malcolm Roach, Montravius Adams, Albert Huggins, James Hurst, Khalen Saunders, Nathan Shepherd and finally Bryan Bresee as starters at defensive tackle. The odds and history say they better hope Gervon Dexter has a tremendous breakthrough stopping the run in 2026 and that they somehow squeeze one good year out of defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.QB Analyst Sees Caleb Williams' Biggest Weak Spot as No Flaw at AllGene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.
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