5 players the Chicago Bears should target in Round 3

The Chicago Bears have far more current needs than they do picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. After playing it safe and opting for the non-aggressive route in free agency, the Bears have a tough road ahead.

Ryan Poles has not added enough talent around Justin Fields at this point, and there are still holes on the defense as well. But, staying patient and assessing the current roster is all part of his Year 1 plan.

Still, the draft ahead will tell us a lot about Poles and his agenda for the near future. Many fans want to see him add a playmaker or two, on top of some offensive line help. But, with first-year head coach Matt Eberflus, the defense will not be ignored.

With the state of their current draft capital, Poles and company may have to get aggressive, and creative, in their attempt to fill the remaining roster holes.

The Chicago Bears are going to find tremendous value past the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Without a first-round pick, the Bears are entering the draft at a disadvantage. However, the plus side is that they have to valuable second rounders that both come in the first half of the round.

With those two picks, Poles could certainly opt to trade back and acquire additional draft capital — ideally moving back in the second while adding a third or fourth-round pick in the process.

Chicago does have a pick in the third round, at number 71, and that’s where the draft really gets interesting. The third round is where teams could find some top-level talent that has fallen a bit, or that may have simply been graded a little lower due to some easily fixable traits.

In that third round, there are a handful of excellent value picks that may wind up in Chicago. With their current pick at 71, and maybe another selection acquired via trade, the following five prospects are worth the Bears targeting.