Dave Softy Mahler

Obviously, Thineman, defensive player in the first round.

But then second rounder, they have to go with Logan Jones, the center, because Drew Dahlman retired.

Then they go Sam Roush, a tight end in the third round.

And then a wide receiver, Zabion Thomas in the third round that a lot of people had going as a seventh rounder.

And then they end up going defense finally in the fourth round.

So two third rounders and a second rounder, they go offensive picks.

And this was a defense last year, 31st in pass rush win rate, 29th in pressure rate, 29th in yards per rush allowed, 27th in rush yards allowed per game.

Woeful for the defensive line getting to the quarterback otherwise.

So it was very surprising.

It did not look more like the Kansas City Chiefs draft, but this is a Ben Johnson-led team, and we are very much in a place of, in Ben Johnson, we trust heading into year two.

So, Randall, we do not question what Ben Johnson is cooking over there at House Hall.

We just don't do that.

And listen, we don't need to go over what 13 personnel is or 12 personnel is.

And it feels like it's a replacement for Cole Komet, obviously, and perhaps he was just best player on the board.

Perhaps they know that with not really a great plan at left tackle with Ozzie Trapillo about out for the season with his patellar tendon injury from last year, that they're going to need more chipping on that side.

But again, this is somewhat becoming a tight end driven league, but it felt more like a choice or decision made for the future than as of winning in 2026, because they're in an interesting place, as we've discussed, and I'm sure we will even more, that we're still in that rookie window.

for caleb williams so how much of this was a play for the future making sure that when cole komet does move on you're already ready to go with your two tight end set and how much of this ultimately is just being the best offense in 2026 and the bears hoping that they're much better in guys that they're getting back they were very very beat up last year uh with jalen johnson and and kyler gordon and the defensive line io dango went out with the achilles injury shamar turner last year second rounder went out with an acl tear so

It feels very much like it.

And that's what Ben Johnson said, that we're going to get healthy.

And he almost kind of just put it on his coaches to coach up the players in the building better from a defensive line standpoint.