NFC North NFL Draft Preview, Part 1: What the Bears and Packers Need Most in the 2026 NFL Draft

The NFC North opens with two teams at different points on the same path. The Chicago Bears are trying to take a real step forward. The Green Bay Packers are trying to make sure they do not stall out.

The 2026 NFL Draft carries a different kind of pressure for each team.

Chicago Bears: This Draft Has To Keep the Rise From Stalling

The Bears are not walking into this draft trying to fix a broken roster. That is the good news. The pressure now comes from somewhere else.

Chicago already has a quarterback who can carry an offense, a playcaller who proved he can build one, and a young core that looks like it belongs. The challenge now is ensuring that last season was the start of something, not the high point.

The defensive line still needs a true interior disruptor. The pass rush needs another player who can consistently win off the edge. The safety room is being rebuilt and still needs a second starter. Left tackle is no longer a settled position with questions around health and long-term stability.

At No. 25, Chicago should be in a range where multiple paths make sense. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (safety, Toledo) fits the need in the secondary. Akheem Mesidor (edge, Miami) and T.J. Parker (edge, Clemson) would address the pass rush. Kayden McDonald (defensive tackle, Ohio State) and Peter Woods (defensive tackle, Clemson) would give the defense more presence inside. Kadyn Proctor (offensive tackle, Alabama) or Caleb Lomu (offensive tackle, Utah) would stabilize the offensive line if the board falls that way.

Day 2 should give them opportunities to keep building on that foundation. Anthony Hill Jr. (linebacker, Texas), Caleb Banks (defensive tackle, Florida), Dani Dennis-Sutton (edge, Penn State) and A.J. Haulcy (safety, LSU) all fit as players who could step into roles quickly.

Chicago is in a spot to become a real Super Bowl contender. The Bears just  need to make sure what it started building last season keeps moving forward.

Green Bay Packers: This Draft Has To Push a Good Roster Over the Top

Green Bay is not searching for answers at quarterback.

Jordan Love is set. The offense has structure. There is enough talent on both sides of the ball to compete. The issue is that some of the most important spots on its roster still come with real questions.

Cornerback stands out first. The current group is thin and heading into contract decisions. The pass rush has upside, but it leans heavily on players who have not proven it yet, especially early in the season with Micah Parsons working back from injury. The defensive line could use more strength inside, and depth at running back and along the offensive line still needs attention.

The challenge is that Green Bay does not have a first-round pick.

That puts more weight on what they do at No. 52 and throughout the middle of the draft. Trading up is always possible, but it would take a significant move to get into range for a player expected to start right away.

If they stay where they are, Darrell Jackson Jr. (defensive tackle, Florida State) would help address the interior. Julian Neal (cornerback, Arkansas) fits the type of physical corner they have targeted. Dani Dennis-Sutton (edge, Penn State) could give them another piece in the rotation.

Green Bay has built a reputation for finding value later in the draft, and this year should follow that pattern. Beau Stephens (guard, Iowa), Nicholas Singleton (running back, Penn State), George Gumbs Jr. (edge, Florida) and Logan Taylor (offensive line, Boston College) are the types of players who could develop into useful pieces over time.

Green Bay is close. What they get out of this draft will say a lot about whether they stay there.