The Bears are back to being the mystery team at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The combine has always been an intriguing checkpoint under general manager Ryan Poles, who left no ambiguity about his plans last year when he spoke openly about the allure of USC quarterback Caleb Williams and it already was almost a given that the Bears would draft him first overall. In 2023, though, Poles’ phone nearly short circuited from the overload of texts inquiring about his plans with the No. 1 pick.
While this trip to Indianapolis lacks the sparkle of the Bears holding the top pick, it has every bit of uncertainty as they sit at No. 10. They have a roster that’s in Year 4 of Poles’ rebuild, but with new coach Ben Johnson entering the equation and the team coming off a thudding 5-12 season, everyone is curious about the Bears.
Is it finally time to swing big in free agency and the draft, or will Poles continue the conservative approach of his first three offseasons? The clock is ticking on Williams’ rookie contract window, and Poles doesn’t have unlimited time to fix the roster, yet Johnson’s fresh input on personnel could alter the blueprint.
Poles and Johnson will talk to the media Tuesday, and they’ll be peppered with questions about free agency, the draft and decisions that must be made about current players — notably nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon, who is up for a contract extension. They might drop hints, and Poles typically has been transparent, but the moves they eventually make will clarify where they’re actually headed.
The deluge of people into Indianapolis includes not only the top college prospects and big scouting delegations from teams, but also agents. That’s key for the Bears as they backchannel ahead of the start of free agency March 10.
With the recent cuts of tight end Gerald Everett and defensive end DeMarcus Walker, the Bears are projected to have the fourth-most salary-cap space in the NFL at a minimum of $77.8 million based on a $277.5 million cap, though the league has said it could be as high as $281.5 million.
With many major needs across the offensive and defensive lines, the Bears will have to use free agency and the draft to pick up starters, but the obvious targets in the first round will be offensive tackles and pass rushers.
A rookie picked 10th overall this year will get a four-year contract likely averaging around $6 million per season, whereas the top 10 pass rushers make at least $22 million per year and the top 10 offensive tackles are at $20 million or more. The more expensive the position, the more advantageous it is to fill it through the draft.
At offensive tackle, the Bears probably are too far back for top-ranked prospect Will Campbell from LSU, but could be in reach of Texas’ Kelvin Banks, Missouri’s Armand Membou and Ohio State’s Josh Simmons.
Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter is the consensus No. 1 pick for the Titans unless they trade down to a quarterback-needy team, but the Bears are in range of Georgia’s Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams, Marshall’s Mike Green, Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart and Tennessee’s James Pearce.
The Bears could then use their second-round picks at Nos. 39 and 41 to target interior linemen on both sides of the ball. While it’s difficult to find answers at premium positions with those selections, it’s a great spot to pick up immediate starters at guard, center and, depending on the year, defensive tackle.
The Bears have been scouting and grading players at those positions for months, but this week will be their first chance to sit down with the top prospects, and that’s a big step. Between those meetings and countless conversations in hallways, bars and hotel lobbies, the Bears should leave this week with a clearer picture of their offseason.
