Chicago Bears
Despite their disappointing 5-12 season, the 2024 Bears roster was pretty solid, with at least decent starters in most spots. The biggest problems last year were a lack of high-end talent (just 1 Pro Bowler, CB Jaylon Johnson, and no one else who came close to deserving it), poor QB play (Caleb Williams struggled as a rookie), poor coaching, and a lack of depth (especially at OL, and also DL).
My roster analysis from a month ago
This offseason: new coaching staff, landing the top HC candidate, Ben Johnson. The hope is that Caleb Williams will take a step forward in year 2, with Johnson's help. And the Bears have been busy in free agency, and with trades, mainly making their roster even more solid. They've replaced 4 starters with upgrades (OG Joe Thuney replaces Teven Jenkins, C Drew Dalman replaces Coleman Shelton, OG Jonah Jackson replaces Matt Pryor, EDGE Dayo Odeyingo replaces DeMarcus Walker), and they're returning 17 other starters, with just 1 downgrade among their starting 22 (WR Olamide Zaccheaus replaces Keenan Allen). Those 4 upgrades each cost $14M-$18M/yr, as does FA signing DT Grady Jackson who bumps last year's starter Andrew Billings down to a rotational DT3 role.
For high end talent, Thuney gives them a second 2024 season Pro Bowler, and Dalman joins DJ Moore as players in the talent tier just below that. Having more high-end talent than that will probably depend on hitting on early draft picks (or development from previous early picks like Rome Odunze), though it's possible that they have another splash move still to come.
The roster is still short on depth in most places, especially EDGE, OL, WR, and LB, but it's still early in FA and the draft is still to come.
Draft picks: 10, 39, 41, 72, 148, 233, 240
Extension candidates (in a contract year): LT Braxton Jones, OG Joe Thuney, SCB Kyler Gordon, S Jaquan Brisker, DT Andrew Billings
Positional Needs
Glaring needs: none
Biggest needs: HB, WR, EDGE, CB
Other needs: LB, OL, DT, S
Not much of a need: TE, QB
Biggest Needs: HB, WR, EDGE, CB
Setting aside quarterback, the weakest players among the Bears current projected starting 22 are HB D'Andre Swift, WR3 Olamide Zaccheaus, and CB2 Tyrique Stevenson, which puts those 3 positions among the Bears' biggest needs. EDGE3 is as important as some starters, given the premium on pass rush and how much guys rotate in & out, and the Bears don't have one (they lost last year's EDGE3 Darrell Taylor to free agency). These are the 4 most obvious directions for their rd1 pick (possibly after a trade-down), and for day 2.
HB: D'Andre Swift was a bad signing last offseason (and Ben Johnson has already moved on from him once), and Roschon Johnson is nothing special. They could look for a receiving back (like Gibbs), a power back (like Montgomery), or a do-it-all back. Possible draft targets: Ashton Jeanty at pick 10, various others later in the draft.
WR: DJ Moore & Rome Odunze are a nice duo, potentially a great one, but Zaccheaus is just a stopgap and they have nothing behind him (Tyler Scott led the rest of their WRs with 1 reception last year). Possible draft targets: Emeka Egbuka after a round 1 trade-down, various others
EDGE: Montez Sweat & Dayo Odeyingbo are the starting duo, but currently pencilled in at EDGE3 is Austin Booker, last year's 5th round pick who was pretty awful as a rookie. Possible draft targets: Shemar Stewart (if they value size), Mike Green (if they value success rushing the passer in college and don't mind his character issues), various others
CB: Jaylon Johnson is great, but Tyrique Stevenson was probably their worst defensive starter last year (and not just for the lowlight of the season against Washington), and slot corner Kyler Gordon is going into the last year of his contract (though he's good and ideally will get extended this offseason). Possible draft targets: Will Johnson, Jahdae Barron, various others
Other Needs: LB, OL, DT, S
These are mainly about depth, preparing for the future, and prioritizing the trenches. These are more plausible as day 2 options or later, but could be worth considering in rd1 if they love the player.
LB: Starters Tremaine Edmunds & TJ Edwards aren't great and could be gone after this year, with Edmunds in his last year of guaranteed money (and overpaid) and Edwards in the last year of his contract (and 29 years old). Last year's LB3 Jack Sanborn was solid depth but they didn't bring him back as a RFA, so their LB depth is a career special teamer Amen Ogbongbemiga and a 2023 5th rounder who hasn't played much Noah Sewell. LB isn't a priority position, but they could use a 2026 starter, depth this year, and possibly an upgrade in the starting lineup this year, so I can see a case even for (say) Jihaad Campbell in rd1 after a trade-down.
OL: They have a good starting 5, with 3 expensive new veterans on the IOL and tackles Braxton Jones & Darnell Wright on their rookie deals, but poor depth. Ryan Bates is maybe adequate IOL depth, and Kiran Amegadjie (2024 3rd round OT out of Yale) was awful last year but might improve into an adequate swing tackle. The big question is whether they see Braxton Jones as their long-term answer at LT; I think that he is and they should try to extend him now (he's going into the last year of his rookie contract), but if they don't then they could draft his successor in rd1 (e.g. Armand Membou, Kelvin Banks). If they extend Jones then everyone besides Thuney will be under contract for 2026, so a round 1 OL pick wouldn't make much sense, but it would still be reasonable to add depth later in the draft.
DT: They have a strong trio of Gervon Dexter, Grady Jarrett, and Andrew Billings, but it's great to have a disruptive interior pass rusher, the DT rotation can go 4 deep, and Billings is in the last year of his deal. So it wouldn't be crazy to take one rd1 (e.g. Mason Graham if he falls to 10, Walter Nolen or Derrick Harmon after a trade-down), or later on.
S: Jaquan Brisker & Kevin Byard are a good starting duo, and Jonathan Owens & Eliljah Hicks are solid depth (both played well last year when Brisker missed most of the season with a concussion). However, all 4 are in the last year of their contracts, Byard turns 32 this year, and Brisker's history of concussions is a concern and if he is healthy he's likely to be expensive to re-sign. Depending on how worried they are about Brisker, safety could move up or down a tier of needs.
Not Much of a Need: TE, QB
TE: Cole Kmet is a solid TE signed long-term, and they added Durham Smythe on a 1-year deal as depth. They do need a 3rd TE who can take snaps (though that could be a cheap FA), an improvement on Smythe would have some value if they run a lot of 2 TE sets (which they could do if they have the personnel for it and don't upgrade on Zaccheaus at WR3), and they could move on from Kmet in a year or two if they have someone better (2025 is his last year of guaranteed money).
QB: Caleb Williams wasn't good last year, but he's the guy. Tyson Bagent is an adequate backup but they could look to improve at QB2 late in the draft.
Specialists
KR/PR is a need, with last year's primary returner DeAndre Carter a FA. The top candidates on the roster are probably CB Josh Blackwell, WR Tyler Scott, and WR Olamide Zaccheaus.
They're set at P, K, and LS.