This week marks the start of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Both first-year head coach Ben Johnson and Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles are anticipated to speak with journalists during the combine.
This week is very important for them to prepare their draft. The NFL invited 329 prospects to the event, and Poles and Johnson will have the opportunity to interact with several of them.
At the combine, what precisely can they achieve? They can do the following three things this week.
Establish expectations for the off-season
Both Poles and Johnson will be speaking to the media for the first time since Johnson’s initial press conference on January 22.
According to OverTheCap.com, the Bears have the sixth-highest amount of money to spend out of 32 teams, with an estimated $69 million in available salary space.
In addition, the Bears own eight draft picks overall and three selections among the top 41 picks (10th, 39th, and 41st picks).
The Bears can approach this offseason in a variety of ways because they have that much cap flexibility and a handful of high-quality draft picks.
Get the offensive line rebuilt.
The offensive line is without a doubt the position group on the Bears’ roster that need the most improvement in 2025. Only one or two of the 2024 starters might make a comeback in 2025.
According to Johnson and Poles, the O-line might effectively be blank
Therefore, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the Bears spent a significant portion of next week’s interview period meeting with some of the best offensive line prospects in the draft.
If Poles and Johnson want to go that route, the team will have the opportunity to select one of the top offensive lineman in the draft with the No. 10 overall choice.
LSU tackle Will Campbell, Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons, Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., Alabama guard Tyler Booker, and versatile Missouri lineman Armand Membou are some of the top prospects to keep an eye on.
However, their actions in free agency must be coordinated with their final draft decisions.
Teams can formally start signing players on March 12 after the free agency negotiation window opens on March 10.
Keep the other line in mind.
Maximizing quarterback Caleb Williams’ potential will be the focus of the upcoming years. Rebuilding the offensive line is crucial for this reason.
However, a strong defense will be a quarterback’s biggest ally. The trenches could—and perhaps should—be the focus of this offseason. Undoubtedly, the offensive and defensive lines seem to be set to receive the largest contracts and the top draft selections.
In 2024, the Bears’ defensive line was overly top-heavy. Early in the season, when defensive end Montez Sweat and defensive tackles Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter were healthy and playing together, that bunch appeared formidable.
But midway through the season, Billings suffered a season-ending injury that revealed the paucity of depth beyond those three front-line mainstays.
It is obvious that the defensive line appears to be priority number two if the offensive line is priority number one. Sweat struggled in the latter stretch of 2024, so the Bears need to find a reliable pass-rushing threat to play opposite him.
Poles hasn’t made a bold move on an edge rusher in his three Bears draft selections as head coach. The Bears have only ever drafted an edge rusher in the fifth round under Poles. The Bears might pursue one with any of those three picks in the top 41 this year, changing that.
Three things for the Bears to accomplish at the NFL Scouting Combine
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