With 2026 training camp nearing, Bears roster evaluation shifts to the interior defensive line for 2027

As the Chicago Bears move toward the 2026 season and the next wave of roster building, a fresh mock draft exercise is pointing to one area that, in the eyes of at least some draft analysts, will define the Bears’ priorities: the interior defensive line. In a new 2027 mock draft post from Windy City Gridiron, lead draft analyst Jacob Infante frames the Bears as a team with certain strengths, but also clear structural questions that can be addressed through next year’s prospect pool, particularly at defensive tackle.

Infante’s approach starts from the premise that the Bears have “concerns” about their interior defensive line heading into 2026, and that change will likely be part of the offseason planning rather than something that can be fixed quickly in-season. He also ties that emphasis to expected roster churn, noting that Gervon Dexter is set to hit free agency next offseason and that Grady Jarrett is viewed as a likely cap casualty based on last season’s performance. The key point in the post is not that those outcomes are guaranteed, but that they help explain why an interior defensive tackle is treated as an early draft focal point for 2027.

Even with those caveats, the Bears’ need makes sense in the broader draft conversation. Sports Illustrated’s Chicago Bears coverage earlier this month argued the team committed two major offseason misses, specifically in failing to add an edge rusher and not doing enough to strengthen the interior defensive line. In that same analysis, the outlet cited the Bears’ addition of Neville Gallimore and a sixth-round draft pick on Jordan van den Berg as the most notable moves “on the inside,” while also describing the overall response as inadequate for a defense that struggled in run defense and getting pressure on the quarterback.

Infante’s mock draft also tries to quantify how Chicago could address those needs with a high-value draft position. Using the Pro Football Network mock draft simulator, he simulated the remaining picks for all 32 teams and slotted the Bears at No. 16 for the purpose of the exercise, explicitly noting that this may be higher than where Chicago would actually select when the real 2027 order is determined. That detail matters because interior defensive line prospects often require a blend of traits, and teams typically look for early-round value when investing in players expected to anchor the run defense and create push up the middle.

The mock draft framing arrives at a time when the Bears are not just trying to win games, but also trying to win the NFC North again, an objective Infante references while discussing how much could change between now and the 2027 NFL Draft. In that context, interior defensive line depth and starting-caliber talent become a roster-building lever: it affects how opponents run the ball, how defenses generate pressure without overextending the back end, and how Chicago can sustain its scheme across a long season.

For fans, the immediate takeaway is that at least one credible draft analyst sees the Bears’ next major defensive investment as more likely to come from the interior than from a quick, in-division fix. The next check will be what the Bears emphasize at training camp and during the preseason, specifically how coaches evaluate run fits and interior gap integrity, and whether the team’s incumbent interior group looks prepared to handle starting reps. After that, the more definitive report will come with roster decisions leading into the 2027 offseason, when free agency and contract management can turn a “draft focus” into an actual must-have need.