With the Chicago Bears preparing to breeze through Hammond en route to Indianapolis for football business — not stadium politicking — it’s time to focus on the NFL’s annual scouting combine. The Bears got a good jump on things there last year with first-year coach Ben Johnson, laying the gr oundwork for a draft, trades and free-agent signings that helped them rebound from their losing ways. After posting an 11-6 record and winning the NFC North for the first time since 2018, the Bears beat the rival Green Bay Packers for their first postseason victory in 15 years. Suffice to say, the Bears have found more success on the field of late than they have in a tortuous stadium quest that has become a high-stakes game of chicken with the franchise aggressively playing the Hoosier State against lawmakers in Springfield. Instead of imagining the scenery along Interstate 65 or wondering which of the Bears’ demands for Arlington Heights have to be met and if Illinois will blink, let’s focus on what fans want to rally around: a world-class roster. Six topics worth considering in the coming week as NFL teams get busy in Indy starting Monday. 1. For the first time in quite a while, the Bears will not arrive at the combine poised to be one of the bigger movers and shakers in free agency. That’s not a bad thing because, before this past season, all of those signings and dollars didn’t translate to success on the field. There’s ample evidence that winning in free agency doesn’t create a path to winning in January — although it’s notable the New England Patriots spent lavishly last March and reached the Super Bowl. The Bears started the process of creating some salary-cap flexibility with a minor move Thursday, releasing core special teams player Amen Ogbongbemiga to create $2.07 million in cap savings. There’s more work to be done before the new league year begins March 11. Other than linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, it seems unlikely there will be a major purge of players to clear space. Releasing Edmunds would create $15 million in space, and from there the Bears figure to restructure some contracts and maybe look for an extension or two to lower current cap hits. 2. The only other major move to create room could be trading wide receiver DJ Moore. Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine (24) looks on as Bears wide receiver DJ Moore crosses the goal line in the fourth quarter of an NFC wild-card game Jan. 10, 2026, at Soldier Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) What the market would be for Moore remains to be seen. He turns 29 in April, and his dip in production during two seasons playing with Caleb Williams doesn’t make him more marketable. For the same reason some don’t believe Moore is a good fit for the Bears in 2026 — when he’s due to earn $24.5 million — he might not be a great fit for a lot of other teams. General manager Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson gave the impression they highly value what Moore brings to the locker room and field in terms of toughness, competitive level and, yes, production. Unless the team’s stance has shifted significantly after a series of meetings at Halas Hall — or it has a pressing need for cap space that it doesn’t want to create via other means — Moore’s status seems relatively secure. 3. Gathering medical information on draft prospects ranks as the most important business of the week. Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks runs through drills during practice for the Senior Bowl on Jan. 27, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. (Butch Dill/AP) Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks had surgery for a broken left foot last fall, limiting him to three games. He looked the part at the Senior Bowl last month, but teams will want a good look at his medical information. Banks is a massive man — NFL.com lists him at 6-foot-6, 335 pounds — and his official measurement at the combine will be interesting. He’s athletic and powerful but viewed as a boom-or-bust prospect. The ceiling could be very enticing but only if he has a clean bill of health. Medical info is the only thing that trumps the fact-finding missions that teams and agents are on. The combine used to be where free-agent deals would be unofficially drawn up. Now it’s some of the world’s most expensive window shopping, with front offices and player representatives gauging the market. The Bears have made it clear they have interest in re-signing All-Pro safety Kevin Byard III. This week could be when the price range comes into focus. While Byard, who turns 33 in August, is coming off a two-year, $15 million contract, he could be in position to command something in the range of $10 million annually. There are other players the Bears have interest in bringing back. Who and at what price are the questions. I’m thinking of players such as left tackle Braxton Jones, tight end Durham Smythe, returner Devin Duvernay, cornerback Nahshon Wright, long snapper Scott Daly and maybe others. Their agents will be working to determine what could be available when the negotiating window leading into free agency opens March 9. 4. With all the teams in one place, it’s also a great place to kindle trade talks. Getting guards Joe Thuney for a 2026 fourth-round pick and Jonah Jackson for a sixth-round pick last year sparked the Bears’ rebuild on the offensive line. I wouldn’t put anything past Poles, but it’s going to be difficult to find lightning in a bottle like that again this offseason. It was a perfect storm in both cases for the Bears to swing those deals. The Kansas City Chiefs had to unload Thuney to create cap space to sign guard Trey Smith to a long-term contract. The Los Angeles Rams were looking for cap flexibility and had soured on Jackson after only one season. Johnson knew Jackson well from their time together in Detroit, and it turned into a perfect fit for the Bears. While chatting at the Senior Bowl with a GM for another team, I asked if Poles might be able to use a similar tactic to enhance the defensive line by flipping a mid- or late-round pick. That GM called it highly unlikely, noting teams generally place a higher premium on top-end defensive linemen than interior offensive linemen. Just know that Poles is open to all avenues for player procurement and has been an active wheeler and dealer. 5. When I flipped through notes from this time last year, one theme was that a lot of the Bears’ needs matched up well with the projected free-agent market and the draft. Rams safety Kam Curl intercepts a pass by Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in overtime of an NFC divisional playoff game Jan. 18, 2026, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) That seems to be the case again this year. While there aren’t elite edge rushers in free agency, unless you put 31-year-old Trey Hendrickson in that category, there are quite a few veteran options. It’s also a particularly deep draft for defensive linemen, so the Bears might find themselves in a position where they can wait comfortably for their pick at No. 25, knowing there should be a handful of options at edge and tackle. As usual, a healthy group of experienced safeties is heading to free agency. The Bears’ Byard and Jaquan Brisker are both pending free agents. Bryan Cook, Nick Cross, Jalen Thompson, Kam Curl, Reed Blankenship, Jaylinn Hawkins and Alohi Gilman are just some of the other options. Here’s how I would rank the Bears’ needs versus wants when looking ahead to free agency and the draft: Needs Defensive tackle Edge rusher Safety Linebacker Left tackle Cornerback Wants Cornerback Running back Returner Tight end Cornerback straddles the line for me, but I’d probably lean toward it being a need because you simply can’t have too many, especially when depth is challenged as it was for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen last season. It’s another deep draft for tight ends, and I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of the Bears taking a flier on Day 3 if there’s one with traits who they believe has upside. At running back, maybe they look for a 2027 replacement for D’Andre Swift, but reality is the Bears need this draft to be for Allen and the defense what last year’s was for Johnson and the offense. 6. Can the Bears make a case to receive compensatory draft picks for assistant GM Ian Cunningham leaving? Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham speaks during his introductory news conference Feb. 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) If so, perhaps they can present it at the combine with league officials present. By no means am I attempting to spark optimism, but it’s at least something worth considering until the NFL releases the list of compensatory picks assigned for the April 23-25 draft. For reference, that announcement came between March 8 and March 11 the last three years. So time is of the essence. When Cunningham interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons GM job, the Bears were aware the NFL deemed newly hired president of football Matt Ryan to be the team’s primary football executive. That meant the Bears could have blocked Cunningham from interviewing and leaving — and it meant there would be no compensation if he departed. The Rooney Rule, which encourages the development and promotion of diversity candidates, gives a team a third-round compensatory pick in consecutive years if it has a minority assistant coach hired away as a head coach or a front-office worker hired as another team’s primary football executive. It’s my understanding the league doesn’t unilaterally determine who each team’s primary football executive is, meaning the Falcons likely had some input in Ryan being designated that individual. If there’s an opening, you’d have to imagine the Bears will ask. Is the league going to follow the rule as written or consider its intent? ...read more read less