General manager Ryan Poles is entering his fourth NFL Draft with the Chicago Bears. Especially after hiring head coach Ben Johnson, Poles knows he can’t afford a weak 2025 class.
Working in his favor though is the large amount of draft capital the Bears have been able to stock up. With four picks inside the top 75, Chicago will have ample opportunity to continue improving their roster. Following the team’s explosive free agency period, a strong draft class could be the key to getting back into contention.
Despite their draft capital, when fans and pundits talk about the Bears, they have their eyes on the No. 10 overall pick. Chicago is a true wild card, with predictions ranging from an offensive to defensive selection. One other possibility is the Bears using their stash of picks to move up the board.
While No. 10 should give Chicago an elite player, selecting in the top five almost guarantees it. In Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports’ latest mock draft, the analyst has the Bears trading picks No. 10, No. 41 and a 2026 third-rounder to acquire pick No. 4 from the New England Patriots. In turn, Chicago selects Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter.
“A freakish athlete who moved from off-ball linebacker to edge rusher for the 2024 season,” Wilson wrote. “Carter is not Micah Parsons — not yet, anyway — but he’s just scratching the surface on what he can do.”
Chicago Bears trade up
In a vacuum, this trade works out well for the Bears. As Chicago builds their foundation under Johnson, Carter gives the franchise a ferocious defensive piece to work with. However, the Bears must consider all aspects of the trade before agreeing to a deal.
Chicago does have two second-round picks this season, making at least one seemingly tradeable. However, it would also put the Bears in a tricky spot offensively, especially if they’re landing Carter. Chicago undoubtedly needs to select a running back at some point in the draft. If they trade No. 41, their next best options are at No. 39 or No. 72.
The former gives the Bears a chance to land one of the best runners in the class. But they’re almost forced to take a running back at that spot. If they don’t, the Bears are hoping one of their top running back prospects are available in the third-round. While the 2025 offers a deep rushing class, there’s no guarantee Chicago will land the running back they really want.
Poles and company must be careful in how they gameplan the draft. They have the luxury of being flexible and versatile in their decisions. However, the Bears must consider their entire roster before making an earth-shattering move.
Abdul Carter changes conversation
Almost all conventional wisdom goes out the window when it comes to Carter. Once considered an option for the No. 1 overall pick, Carter is arguably the best defensive player in the 2025 draft. While a foot injury has been a bit of a red flag, it isn’t expected to affect his draft stock considerably. But if he does make it to No. 4, and if the Patriots are open for business, maybe the prospect of acquiring Carter is too good to pass up.
Over his three years with Penn State, the pass rusher racked up 172 tackles – 41 of them coming for a loss – and 23 sacks. Carter was a dominant force in 2024, leading the nation with 24 tackles for a loss. He had 68 tackles total and added 12 sacks. Carter was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and an Unanimous All-American.
TJ Edwards led the Bears with 12 tackles for a loss in 2024. But the Bears have the pieces to be more explosive in the opposing backfield in 2025. Montez Sweat is still the leader of the defensive line and new free agency addition Dayo Odeyingbo is coming off back-to-back 17 quarterback hit campaigns. Veteran Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter, who had five sacks in 2024, will only make life more chaos on opposing quarterbacks.
But even with all those additions and returnees, Carter would bring a completely different element to the defense. His motor and ability to be a defensive gamechanger is exactly what Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen are looking for. It may take quite the haul to actually land him, but there’s no doubting drafting Carter would make the Bears a much more dangerous team.
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