Could Tyson Bagent be traded? Takeaways from Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles at the NFL Combine

INDIANAPOLIS - It’s the start of a new draft cycle for the Chicago Bears.

For the first time in a while, they won’t have a top-10 draft pick to scout for.

General manager Ryan Poles mentioned appealing an NFL decision to get compensatory draft picks, and head coach Ben Johnson talked about starting from square one with the lessons they’ve learned in 2025.

It all leads to the start of a draft process that could help decide if the Bears are Super Bowl contenders in 2026.

Here’s what we learned from two podium appearances and two press conferences with Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles on Tuesday at the NFL Combine.

The defensive trenches will be the primary focus

Johnson opened up his press conference by taking a shot at quarterback Caleb Williams’ 3-point shooting.

Williams participated in the All-Star Celebrity 3-Point Contest and finished dead last. It’s safe to say Johnson is confident in where his quarterback is currently, especially because he knows where Williams can improve.

Now, Johnson is focusing on the team’s biggest need.

"For us to take the next step as a defense, we do need to pressure the quarterback in a more consistent clip," Johnson said. "That is a point of emphasis for us."

The Bears’ pass rush needs to get better. Montez Sweat had a double-digit sack season but there needs to be another player who can provide concurrently to Sweat.

The 2026 defensive line won’t be completely dependent on the draft. Second-round pick Shemar Turner is recovering from a torn ACL and figures to be recovered in time to make an impact on the 2026 season. Austin Booker is entering a contract year, too.

But this is a draft that has a deep class of pass rushers. The Bears could double up or approach adding a pass rusher with multiple angles.

"I do think this draft does have some guys that could possibly help us out in that regard," Johnson said. "That'll be something that we gotta look at."

QB Tyson Bagent will be a subject of trade talks

For all of the rumors and speculation about the Bears trading for Raiders’ pass rusher Maxx Crosby, Poles mentioned some new trade talks on Tuesday.

Bears’ backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who signed an extension last summer that will keep him in Chicago through the 2027 season, has garnered interest.

"We've gotten a few calls there," Poles said.

However, it’s not something that’s surprised the Bears. Poles said he anticipated the interest.

This 2026 NFL Draft class is short on quarterbacks with first-round grades. After Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who will most likely be the No. 1 overall pick, Alabama’s Ty Simpson will be the only other quarterback taken in the first round.

This is a stark contrast to the 2024 NFL Draft, when six quarterbacks were drafted in the first round.

With Bagent’s status as a backup quarterback who has NFL starting experience and a low cap hit of $4.7 million, teams are more likely to take a flier on a passer waiting in the wings as opposed to trying to swing for one of a few quarterbacks.

Johnson said during his podium session that he believes Bagent is one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the NFL and deserves a shot.

However, he’s also become a safety valve the Bears trust behind Caleb Williams and he’s a fixture in the locker room.

"Obviously, the tough thing is with what Ben thinks about Tyson," Poles said. "When I think about Tyson, what our locker room thinks about Tyson, that's a really tough decision for us. But for Tyson as well, he would have an opportunity to go and perform for our team and do some really good things."

Poles was vindicated taking the "BPA" draft route, and will keep doing it

Last season, Poles was questioned when he took a tight end No. 10 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.

That was Colston Loveland. He ended up leading the Bears in receiving as a rookie tight end who grew into Williams’ trusted weapon.

That’s why Poles will stick to his usual strategies in 2026.

"It's gonna be the best player available," Poles said of his draft strategy. "I know that may not be the most popular thing. 

He won’t ignore the fact that the Bears have holes to fill. However, the players he’s selected with a "best player available" strategy – Loveland, Williams and Darnell Wright – have become three fixtures of his team on offense.

"On my board, we have yellow tags where we need to fill in," Poles said. "At the same time I do believe, especially in the early rounds: one, you really got to stick the best player available. We saw that last year. I know there's a lot of questions like, you got Cole, why would you take Colston? I think we found out that it helped us along the way. So, we'll continue to lean into that philosophy."

The Bears value DJ Moore – but can’t rule out potential moves

Ben Johnson didn’t mice words. He described DJ Moore’s value as "immense."

"He probably knew all the roles of the receivers better than anybody else we had in that room," Johnson said. "X,Z, F, it really didn't matter. He was the guy we knew we could count on."

Moore’s status in Chicago has come into question as his contract is the most expensive on the Bears’ roster right now. It carries the biggest cap hit of any Bears player.

Still, Johnson sang Moore’s praises especially after a season that included two excellent performances in comeback wins over the Green Bay Packers.

"There really wasn't anything we'd shy away from in terms of the route tree that, that he could or could not do," Johnson said. "I feel like the versatility is something that screams at you, the intelligence screams at you. And then as Ryan alluded to in our last press conference, just the toughness, the durability, when you talk about 17-plus game season, that's where a player like that is really, really valuable."

But, Poles knows there are no guarantees as the team looks to build a team that contends for a Super Bowl in 2026.

"I've nothing but great things to say about him, but this is the time now where we have to look at all the different scenarios and what can allow us to put the best team out there," Poles said. "There's a lot there that make it really, really difficult. He's a guy we want here, but we have to look at all different scenarios."

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