We are a little over a week removed from the 2026 NFL Draft, and the number of premature opinions has never been higher. So why not add in a few more, folks?
The general consensus regarding the Bears’ draft class was that they got excellent value with the Dillon Thieneman, Malik Muhammad, and Keyshaun Elliot picks, they reached for Zavion Thomas, and that they made a mistake by not drafting more along the DL.
Looking at Ryan Poles’ draft history, he seems hardly concerned with the media big boards
or post-draft grades. His reaction to last year’s Ruben Hyppolite pick should speak to that plenty.
Still – it’s worth asking:
Did Ryan Poles overthink his 2026 draft class?
I personally do not.
This year’s draft class appears to be indicative of two points of emphasis by Ryan Poles:
- Do not spend future value.
- Add complementary pieces.
If you look at Poles’ draft through these lenses, it makes a lot more sense. Many have already declared the 2027 draft class as far superior to the 2026 class. As of this moment, Poles has every pick except for his 5th rounder in 2027, which was traded for Garrett Bradbury last month.
While many (myself included) clamored at the idea of trading up in the draft to get a standout defensive lineman, it was clear that Poles learned the important lesson of patience from his old friend and General Manager of the Atlanta Falcons, Ian Cunningham. This patience and resistance to use future capital landed the Bears excellent players in Dillon Thieneman, Malik Muhammad, and Keyshaun Elliot. Holding on to the valuable 2027 draft picks also ensures the Bears will remain a sustainable contender as they approach a massive extension with Caleb Williams.
Now, looking at the Logan Jones, Sam Roush, and Zavion Thomas picks and you will see a team that was unwilling to play the game of cat and mouse with draft “value” and went and got guys they see as having elite traits that can help the team win now.
Ryan Poles clearly already sees a strong nucleus forming on this team with the likes of Colston Loveland, Darnell Wright, Jaylon Johnson, and Montez Sweat being standout contributors over the years. Look at them as the meat, potatoes, and vegetables. Jones, Roush, and Thomas are the garnishes.
Jones’ garnish is obviously ketchup (or giardiniera for the real Chicagoans). But his athletic abilities at center are clearly something Ben Johnson views as being a differentiator to this offense.
Sam Roush is not the fleetest of foot or has the most delicate of hands, but the kid can block his brains out. That chess piece is a huge one for Ben Johnson and will immediately improve the run game for Swift and Monangai.
Meanwhile, Thomas has rare speed — the kind of speed you can’t teach. He is the type of player that will not get a ton of snaps on offense, but the ones he does could lead to house calls.
So I don’t think Poles overthought anything. I think the draft went exactly like he wanted it to — getting the exact players he wanted, and finding quality gems in the process.
