The Chicago Bears have had to say goodbye many times this offseason, losing most of their secondary to free agency, choosing to release linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, and trading away receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills.
It's possible Ryan Poles and Co. aren't done saying goodbye to the roster, with this weekend's NFL Draft offering the chance to bump several current rotation players out of the picture by the time the 2026 regular season kicks off.
In particular, there are three Bears that could be sweating out the draft and what it means for their tenure in Chicago and it could be a turning point that puts them on thin ice as they prepare for next season.
1. QB Tyson Bagent
It's a bit of a surprise that Chicago hasn't reached an agreement on a trade for backup quarterback Tyson Bagent. The former Shepherd Rams star at the Division II level has effectively translated to the NFL, completing 94-of-103 passes (65.7%) for 859 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions over five games (four starts) during his rookie year in 2023. That, of course, was under a different offensive system than Ben Johnson's. His value is high, but the Bears probably don't need $5 million annually invested in him with pressing needs elsewhere.
If the Bears could settle for a pick later than the third round, they could probably flip Bagent sooner rather than later. While there are pressing needs along the defensive line and deep in the secondary, perhaps one of their seventh-round picks, or even their fourth-rounder, could be used on a Bagent replacement. The undrafted free agent market should also offer options, just as Bagent was in 2023.
Bagent's value may never be higher than it is right now. Chicago would do well to find a new team for the soon-to-be 26-year-old now, especially since Caleb Williams has not missed a game during his Bears career, and didn't miss time due to injury during his time leading the USC Trojans.
The Cleveland Browns make a lot of sense as a Bagent destination as they work to figure out if Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel is a long-term answer. Even after signing Tommy DeVito, the New England Patriots could also be an option with a need to find insurance behind Drake Maye.
2. RB D'Andre Swift
From the way members of Chicago's front office talk about Kyle Monangai this offseason, it doesn't seem as though D'Andre Swift is going to be much of a roadblock to Monangai's ascension as RB1in the Windy City past this upcoming season.
Swift could be an effective cost-cutting measure soon enough, with roughly $7 million in savings by trading him. Like with Bagent, the Bears may need to lower their price if they hope to trade him right before or at the draft. A third- or even fourth-round pick could be an acceptable price at this point in the offseason.
Swift has repeatedly stated that he has no interest in leaving Chicago. In 2025, he had nine touchdowns and a hair fewer than five yards per carry. This would purely be a business move, but it's one that makes sense to truly unlock Monangai, which seems to be the plan.
The Seattle Seahawks could use a Kenneth Walker III replacement and stand out as the most natural fit for Swift. With that said, the Pittsburgh Steelers may be interested in pushing Jaylen Warren in their backfield and could use a workhorse like Swift has been since landing in Chicago.
3. OT Braxton Jones
Braxton Jones is, as of now, planned to compete with Theo Benedet and Jedrick Wills for the starting left tackle spot in Ozzy Trapillo's absence due to injury. With that said, he is the likeliest of anyone on this list to be replaced in the upcoming draft.
While Jones re-signed on a one-year deal, it's a heavily incentivized contract. Even if he isn't outright cut or traded, Jones could find himself relegated to the bench this coming year, only coming off the bench in the case of more catastrophe at the position, not earning those incentives.
In 2025, Jones badly struggled, making it hard on too many occasions to justify sticking with him. PFF grading him out as a 55.5 overall over 210 offensive snaps marked the worst stretch of his four-year career thus far.
Many were surprised Poles even gave Jones another chance, feeling his struggles outweighed the familiarity with a system that's undergone major changes over the last year. We'll see how much of a chance Jones actually gets, and how much more competition he'll have on the blindside.
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