The Chicago Bears have a handful of needs to address this offseason, with most of them on the defensive side of the ball. While pass rush might be the biggest need, Chicago could have to replace up to four safeties.
Chicago’s top four safeties in Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, Elijah Hicks and Jonathan Owens are all set to be free agents. Bringing all four back will be tough but it’s expected that they will be able to bring back one starter and one reserve. That creates a big need.
And Chicago could look at the 2026 NFL Draft for a solution. Chicago has three picks in the top 100 of this year’s draft and it really feels like they will go safety with one of those. But could it be the first round? The Bears reportedly have their eyes on one of the top players at the position while at the scouting combine.
Chicago Bears meet with a top safety prospect
Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bears, as are all teams, are set to meet with a lot of prospects between now and the 2026 NFL Draft. The combine offers them the chance to do a lot in terms of those meetings. While not all of these meetings are significant, some can be in terms of draft plans.
For the Bears, one of the prospects they have met with would fill the need for a safety. On Thursday, safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren told reporters that he met with the Bears on day one of the NFL Combine.
“I met with them on the first day that I got here,” McNeil-Warren said via CHGO. “It went great. It went well, they are a great coaching staff.”
Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren met with the Bears day one of the NFL Combine
Says the opportunity “means everything”👏 pic.twitter.com/VB9493bafh
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) February 26, 2026
Going into this combine, McNeil-Warren is ranked as the second-best safety behind only Caleb Downs. The Toledo product currently is being mocked in the early second round of the draft. However, a big combine could shoot him into the first round.
If that happens, it could be intriguing for the Bears to look at McNeil-Warren at No. 25 overall.
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