Chicago Bears are eager for the NFL draft. Will they pass the big test?

The stage is fully set for the NFL draft, the league’s grand talent-acquisition event, which will come to life at 7 p.m. today in Pittsburgh.

The Chicago Bears, headquartered at Halas Hall, are eager to make the most of their opportunities with a current wallet of seven picks and their first selection coming at No. 25.

With the NFL’s revisions to the draft clock — the time between first-round selections has been reduced from 10 minutes to eight this year — we’re forecasting a 9:40-ish arrival time for the 25th pick. That will become a moment of truth for the Bears. And by now, the list of prospects the team figures to be choosing from has been well established, a menu that includes edge rushers Akheem Mesidor, Zion Young, T.J. Parker and Keldric Faulk; offensive tackles Kadyn Proctor, Monroe Freeling and Caleb Lomu; safeties Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, and defensive tackles Kayden McDonald and Peter Woods.

Not all those players, of course, will be available. And the options at No. 25 extend well beyond that. But that’s a starting point. And as the draft begins for the Bears, we’re keeping four key questions on the radar.

1. Given the Bears’ needs, how will general manager Ryan Poles monitor the runs at certain positions?

At this point, the front office has run through so many simulations and discussed so many possibilities that the Bears should not be caught off guard by the inevitable position runs.

Tonight it’s feasible that more than a third of the players drafted will either be edge rushers or offensive tackles.

The edge rusher class has been widely touted as a deep one this spring, with many evaluators believing quality, starting-caliber options may still be available into the early portion of Round 4 on Saturday. It’s a different story at offensive tackle, where the consensus says teams that want one who can contribute immediately had better be prepared to pull the trigger in Round 1.

So how will those supply-and-demand dynamics affect the Night 1 thinking in Lake Forest?

The top-shelf edge rushers in the class — David Bailey of Texas Tech, Arvell Reese of Ohio State, Miami’s Reuben Bain Jr. — will be long gone by pick No. 25. Same goes for the premier offensive tackles — Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Utah’s Spencer Fano.

For months, the Bears have publicly expressed confidence in the pass rushers they have — from Montez Sweat to Austin Booker to Dayo Odeyingbo to Shemar Turner. Perhaps that’s a hint that they’ll be willing to be patient with their draft plan at that position.

On the offensive line, a starting opening at left tackle is currently set up as a competition between Braxton Jones (44 career starts), Theo Benedet (eight starts) and Jed Wills (57). But, at this point, no one would be stunned if the Bears chose to add a rookie to the front of that battle.

There’s no reason to force that issue, obviously. But if a highly valued tackle prospect is there at 25 and the shelf of quality options already looks bare, Poles can easily make the case for why the Bears should act.

2. Why has there been so little talk about the Bears adding to their cornerback group in this draft?

On the surface, that may not feel like a pressing need. But there’s a deeper discussion to be had.

When the Bears let Pro Bowl selection Nahshon Wright walk away in free agency — and for a modest one-year, $5.5 million contract from the Jets — it was perceived as a vote of confidence that Tyrique Stevenson can make the most out of his contract year in 2026, re-seizing a starting role, working to improve his consistency and establishing himself as a difference-maker worthy of a second contract.

The Bears also have Jaylon Johnson under contract through 2027 and nickel corner Kyler Gordon signed through 2028. But coach Ben Johnson’s response last month when asked at the league meetings about getting to know Johnson and Gordon as players and people felt notable.

“Having been a coordinator in this division and competing against them, I had a high level of respect for them coming into the building,” Johnson said. “And I was really looking forward to seeing them more. And just the circumstances dictated, with the injuries, that I just wasn’t able to feel that. So it’s almost like we’re starting over completely again this spring.”

The Bears’ depth at cornerback also includes Tyrell Smith, a fifth-round pick in 2023; Zah Frazier (another Poles draft pick); and special teams standouts Josh Blackwell and Jaylon Jones. But for a team pushing to live up to a championship standard, it’s not unforeseeable that the Bears could add a corner to their 2026 draft class, perhaps even as the headliner. At the very least, they may be eager to add to the position with any of the four selections they have in Rounds 2-4.

3. Is there a way to quickly summarize the Bears’ positional needs heading into the draft?

We’ll give it a go, even with an acknowledgment that outside views of the roster likely differ from the internal assessments at Halas Hall. Here, in descending order, is our needs stack.

• Edge rusher: In the 21st century, only seven Bears edge rushers have recorded 10 sacks in a season. Only one (Mark Anderson) has done so after being drafted by the club. Also of note: in six regular-season losses last season, the Bears totaled nine sacks.

• Defensive tackle: The Bears ranked 27th last season in rushing yards allowed and 29th in yards per carry allowed. Even with a series of free-agency additions, adding disruptors to the interior of the line remains a focus.

• Offensive tackle: Darnell Wright looks to be a long-term fixture on the right side. But aggressiveness may be needed to stabilize the left side.

• Safety: Coby Bryant has been billed as a playmaking alpha, an emerging leader with versatility and Pro Bowl potential. But who will start beside him in Week 1 in September?

• Cornerback: With a trio of experienced veteran starters, there’s no reason to reach for a cornerback this weekend. But adding quality depth while planning for the future is certainly possible.

• Linebacker: Coordinator Dennis Allen’s voice is important in this conversation, both in what he ideally needs from the position and with an assessment of how his current group — T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush, D’Marco Jackson, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, Ruben Hyppolite — shapes up.

• Receiver: The Bears used premium draft picks on Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III the last two springs and hope both playmakers make a big developmental leap in 2026. With that optimism, this doesn’t feel like a pressing need. Still, adding depth and competition is never a bad thing.

• Tight end: The 1-2 punch of Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet provides confidence. Finding someone to take ownership of the role Durham Smythe held last season will be a spring and summer priority.

• Running back: D’Andre Swift (1,386 yards from scrimmage, 10 TDs) last season is entering a contract year, and planning for the future could begin this weekend. Kyle Monangai’s emergence, though, greatly diminishes the need.

• Quarterback: Quite jarring but very encouraging to see this at the bottom of the Bears’ needs list. Caleb Williams, though, is a potential star. Tyson Bagent is a fun, young, developing backup. And QB3 Case Keenum is signed through 2027.

4. Will there be a noticeable identity to this draft class when it’s fully assembled?

Poles and his staff use a grizzly bear sticker to identify prospects across all levels of the draft who fit the team’s big-picture vision. To receive that stamp of approval, players must show heightened levels of mental toughness, grit and love of the game, among other things.

We’ve heard a lot in recent months about Johnson’s desire to add players with passion, proven production and a play style that carries an obvious edge.

Assistant GM Jeff King summed it all up Tuesday: “We’re after competitors.”

As for how the Bears identify competitors, King was direct. “When you put on tape, the guys we probably get excited about the most are (the ones where) you don’t have to read the character (evaluation). You can see it,” he said. “You can see how they compete, how they show up in big games, pick up their teammates and raise the level of their teammates’ games.”

Expect to hear a lot about such intangibles after the selections are made this weekend.