The NFL draft is creeping up on us. We spend so much offseason time talking about it that the event seems like it’ll never come, but we’re roughly a fortnight away from the three-day stretch that will help define the start the Ben Johnson/Ryan Poles era.

The Bears have a cluster of picks in the first two rounds that will allow them to make a major impact on the 2025 roster should they make good choices. If they hit, the Bears will get better fast. That’s the case even if they don’t get all instant impact players. The Bears starting lineup is in decent shape, so even some quality role players could ratchet this team up a notch.

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It’s no surprise, then, that all the questions we’ve got coming out of the NFL owners meetings are focused on the draft. And, after hearing Ben Johnson talk about Tyler Warren – props to CHGO’s Adam Hoge for asking a quality question – and the strategy involved in how to make the most of the Nos. 10, 39 and 41 overall picks.

Let’s get to all that in this Wednesday edition of Bair Mail. Let’s get to it:

Dustin Nunn from Naperville, Ill.

So many people are still focused on taking linemen at No. 10. You did so with your mock, and we’re seeing lots of people going after Ashton Jeanty. What about Tyler Warren? I’d bet Ben Johnson could get a lot out of him.

Bair: I think you’re right, Dustin.

While he doesn’t have that Brock Bowers energy from last year, and tight ends generally aren’t taken that high, let’s harken back to Johnson’s story about taking Jahmyr Gibbs high while in Detroit. The Lions didn’t view Gibbs as a running back. They viewed him as an offensive weapon.

Warren could be categorized in the same way. He did so much at Penn State. He had 104 catches and ran the ball 26 times. He had a total of 1,451 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns in a tough conference. Go watch some tape. Warren is incredible, with a skill set that should translate well to the NFL.

If he’s there at No. 10, I’d take him without regret. It’s clear that Johnson likes him.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen provided some insight on Warren as well that surely inspired confidence in his selection.

“Dennis Allen [spoke] up about how much of a headache it would be to go against a player like that,” Johnson said in an interview with CHGO. “Not only is he a tenacious football player, [but] he blocks [and] runs hard.

“The fact that you could put him in the backfield and do some wildcat with him, he felt like that was unique and would give him issues as a defensive coordinator.”

Jon Doroski from Joliet, Ill.

Any chance they look at a pass rusher at the No. 10 spot? If so, who’s the right pick?

Bair: There’s a distinct possibility the Bears go with a pass rusher here, considering the top offensive linemen, Warren and running back Ashton Jeanty could all be gone before the 10^th pick. Top edge rusher Abdul Carter should be gone in the first three picks, but it’s possible the next edge rusher might not go before No. 10. Or, the Saints and Panthers could take some.

It’ll depend on the talents falling to the Bears at that point. They have options with the 10^th pick considering all they did in free agency. When we think about pass rushers available, we have to think about Dennis Allen and what his scheme requires.

That generally means size along the defensive front, which is why lighter edge rushers don’t seem to fit the bill. Johnson needs a ‘W’ at No. 10, so I doubt the Bears would stretch for talent.

That’s why I keep thinking about Georgia’s Mykel Williams. His sack production wasn’t super high, and injuries slowed him down in 2024. But he’s built like an edge rusher who would function well with Allen. He’s 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, with long arms and massive hands. He could be a force with proper development, and the Bears have a staff that could help him.

Shemar Stewart is another traits guy who is intriguing, but I’m going to throw another name out there that might not fit the size bill for this defense. Georgia’s Jalon Walker is just 6-1 and 243, but he can do so much. He can play off-the-ball linebacker and rush off the edge, a versatile chess piece that could work well anywhere. He could play strongside linebacker in the base defense – the Bears need one – and be a speed guy in the sub package. I’m not saying the Bears will take him if available, but it’s worth pondering what he could do for Chicago.

Brandon Fowler from Springfield, Ill.

Dennis Allen was a good get. Do you think he’s going to have a serious say in the defensive players the Bears go after in the draft?

Bair: We talked about Dennis Allen in the previous question, but I thought the queries were different enough to answer them both.

Now on to a direct answer to Brandon’s question: I do, because Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson aren’t my-way-or-the-highway guys. They made hires because they trust their expertise, and Dennis Allen has plenty of it. He’s trying to build a scheme with the talent required to execute it well. There’s a foundation of defensive talent here that he’ll be able to work with, but some smart additions will be key.

It sure seems like Allen had a say in the Dayo Odeyingbo signing, because he’s a prototypical end in his scheme. We’ve seen Allen attend several pro days with top Bears brass, and he has earned the right to make his voice heard. Poles, for one, is listening.

“He wants a very aggressive, attacking defense, especially the defensive line, attacking the man in front of you, not so much playing laterally, two-gaping, or even penetrating in gaps. It’s really just attacking the offensive lineman in front of you and creating disruption in the run game and also to bubble back into the quarterback’s feet to make it uncomfortable, too. That mentality is definitely going to be there. That’s something we’ll get done and we have a lot and we’ve done it in free agency as well. Speed, speed, speed is another emphasis both because of man coverage but also just being able to get the ball as fast as possible.”

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