Silvy: What I learned about the Bears at the NFL scouting combine this week

II’NDIANAPOLIS — I’ve had some good success at the NFL combine, and I never had to run the 40-yard dash.

The first time I covered the annual NFL event 26 years ago as a reporter, there were very few press conferences; we stalked a hotel lobby and waited for players to come through. In 2000 I was standing inside the Omni waiting to speak to wide receiver Plaxico Burress and safety/linebacker Brian Urlacher. The intel I was getting was that the Bears would draft one of the two. Burress went eighth, and the Bears’ decision at nine was an easy one, selecting the future Hall of Famer.

After my last combine as a reporter in 2003, I returned two years ago to witness the beast this event has become. Podiums for every player, coach and general manager in attendance, and a radio row for close to 100 entities and stages for national TV shows broadcasting across various networks.

It was time to appreciate where the Bears have come from and the possibilities of where they could be going. These next few weeks will determine a lot.

In 2024 the Bears were the talk of the offseason as they scouted one of the best QB drafts in NFL history and had two picks in the top 10. When I first met Caleb Williams in Indy that week, there were rumors that he could act like a diva. He quickly dispelled that possibility with his engaging personality, which he has now shown for the last two seasons. We now know the Bears chose wisely with Williams, and the arrow is pointing straight up.

Last year we sat with Ben Johnson, wondering what he would be as a head coach. As he sat down with me Tuesday, he was now one of the shining stars in the league.

Wherever we went in Indy, national and out-of-town local media wanted to talk to us about our Bears. Here’s what I learned about our team after spending 48 hours in Indy:

• Ryan Poles officially opened “DJ Moore watch” in the NFL trade market. When I asked him directly about whether Moore will be on the Bears’ 2026 roster, he responded with “It’s hard to tell right now.” He then expanded with a long answer, giving several reasons why Moore could be traded. As I wrote last week, it may have to happen. One week later, I believe there’s about an 80-85% chance he’s gone.

• Don’t fret about Williams’ accuracy. Johnson thinks that Williams can and will achieve a 65% completion rate next year despite completing 58% of his passes in 2025. The goal remains 70% down the road. On another note, Johnson defended his tendency to go for it on fourth downs rather than kicking field goals. He explained that in 14 years in the NFL, he has had a defense ranked in the top half of the league just once, and it’s part of his DNA in trying to score as many points as possible. Johnson also told me that he will never take his shirt off in the locker room again and isn’t sure if the good, better, best chant will remain in 2026.

• One person close to the situation told me that while the Bears did put their sports science department under the microscope after an injury-plagued year, they still believe in how they’re handling things. This person pointed out that both Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, who missed the most games, did not take part in the Bears’ offseason training program. Let’s hope that’s a lesson learned by other important players. This is not a hobby, and while some things are “voluntary,” this is your livelihood.

• NFL insider Daniel Jeremiah believes Maxx Crosby could be had for a first-round pick and a conditional 2027 second- or third-rounder. If that’s the ask, I’d like to see the Bears make the move.

• The thing I was asked the most about by a landslide was the Bears stadium situation. Coincidentally, the Indiana Statehouse is directly across the street from the Combine, where lawmakers continued to clear hurdles to recruit the Bears. At 6:15 p.m. during Monday’s rush hour, it took me 24 minutes to drive from downtown Chicago to Hammond — a much shorter trip than driving to the northern suburbs. I still believe there’s a better chance than not that the Bears find their way to Arlington Heights.

• Marc Silverman shares his opinions on the Bears weekly for Shaw Local. Tune in and listen to the “Waddle & Silvy” show weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m. on ESPN 1000.