Dane Brugler Becomes Latest to Link Bears to First-Round Edge Rusher

The heavyweights of the NFL mock draft world were busy on Wednesday.

First, Mel Kiper Jr. dropped his final mock of the 2026 cycle. Then, Dane Brugler followed with a full seven-round projection for The Athletic, and it included a familiar theme for the Chicago Bears.

Upgrade the pass rush.

At No. 25 overall, Brugler has Chicago selecting T.J. Parker, a prospect whose traits still align with what this defense lacks despite an uneven 2025 season.

T.J. Parker Fits the Bears’ Defensive Needs

The Bears can line up and compete with their current edge group. They showed that much in 2025.

But competing is no longer the goal.

If Chicago wants to make a real Super Bowl push in 2026, it needs more than Montez Sweat and his production off the edge. It needs a deeper, more dangerous rotation that can consistently pressure quarterbacks and hold up across four quarters.

There are internal options. Austin Booker flashed enough to believe he could take a step forward.

Still, this defense needs another high-end talent. A blue-chip edge rusher who can tilt protections and give Dennis Allen the kind of flexibility his scheme demands.

“The Bears have the edge rushers to line up today and play competitive football, but they would love to add another talented pass rusher to their rotation,” Dane Brugler wrote. “Parker didn’t quite have the 2025 season many expected, but his motor and leveraged power led to disruption against the pass and run.”

That description lines up perfectly with what Chicago is missing right now.

The Chicago Bears' Pass Rush Problem Needs an NFL Draft Fix

The Bears have not done enough this offseason to fix their pass rush, and that comes after a 2025 free agency class headlined by Dayo Odeyingbo that failed to move the needle.

In other words, the Chicago Bears still have not made the kind of investment required to build a defense that can consistently hold up.

That is why T.J. Parker makes so much sense.

The Bears need an edge rusher who can develop into one of the best players on the unit. Montez Sweat has shown flashes of that ability, but solving this problem requires more than one player.

If Ryan Poles is serious about fixing the pass rush, it has to come through a first-round investment.

Dane Brugler’s projection reflects that reality.

Betting on Parker's Traits Over Production

T.J. Parker is not viewed across the league as a clean, plug-and-play prospect. His 2025 production did not meet expectations, and that brings real questions about consistency and long-term ceiling.

But that is not how NFL teams draft at premium positions.

They draft traits. They draft upside. And they rely on their coaching staff to develop it.

If the Bears believe Parker’s motor, power, and ability to disrupt can be sharpened at the next level, this is the type of selection that can age extremely well.

Or it can miss entirely.

But the Chicago Bears will not solve their pass-rush problem by playing it safe. If the Bears want to land a difference-maker off the edge, they have to be willing to take that swing in the first round.

The Bears’ Bottom Line

Dane Brugler’s projection tracks with reality. Mel Kiper Jr. landed in a similar place, and both point the Bears toward an edge defender at No. 25.

Chicago can make a case for safety or the interior defensive line. But Round 1 is where you invest in premium positions, and few carry more value than pass rusher.

At some point, Ryan Poles has to stop patching a top-tier need with mid-tier additions.

It's time to spend a first-round pick on a true difference-maker off the edge, regardless of which prospect ends up on the board.