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The Chicago Bears are being urged to add a superstar coming off a contract with the Detroit Lions following the NFL draft.

The Chicago Bears are coming out of the 2026 NFL draft with new life and a bevy of rookies set to take this team to the next level. But, there are still holes in their lineup, so Ben Johnson is getting advised to pick up some late free agency additions before September rolls around.

While the Bears’ roster looks solid, there’s still need a need to beef up their defense. So, why not do it by taking a player who was recently with Chicago’s arch NFC Rival, the Detroit Lions, to add some sting?

Hours after the draft, on Sunday, April 26, Mike Pendleton of USA Today’s Bears Wire shared a handful of free agents who would fit into the Bears’ lineup following the rookie selections. “While not every player will have an immediate impact or opportunity, Chicago could be a team that continues to dip into the free agent market ahead of the 2026 season,”  he notes in the piece, “looking to add more veteran talent and experience across the board.”

Chicago Bears Urged to Add Former Detroit Lions Player After the 2026 NFL Draft

In the piece, Pendleton leans to former Detroit Lions defensive tackle D.J. Reader as a fit for the Chicago Bears, even though there’s talk of him going to another franchise.

“Another veteran at the defensive tackle spot, D.J. Reader has reportedly garnered interest from the New York Giants, who recently traded Dexter Lawrence,” Pendleton states in the piece. “But the Bears shouldn’t be afraid to throw their name in the mix.”

He adds that even though “Reader is not going to provide many sacks,” the player “did play in all 17 games for the Detroit Lions last season, totaling 28 tackles and would be more of a signing to add a leader than a high-level producer.”

It’s certainly the case that adding a player who appeared in all of the Lions’ games last season would add a veteran feel to the Bears’ squad, which wouldn’t hurt. Reader’s total career earnings, according to research for Spotrac, amount to around $79 million.

Chicago Bears Get ‘B-‘ Grade for 2026 NFL Draft Class

The Chicago Bears landed a handful of solid players in the 2026 NFL draft, but the jury is mixed on the final class. In The Ringer’s analysis of NFL teams, they gave the Bears a “B-” grade for their selections, but even though that’s a lower grade, they give the team props for their first-round choices.

In the piece, the outlet states that they “absolutely loved what the Bears did in the first round, grabbing a day-one contributor in the secondary in Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman (my 15th-ranked player overall), who can fill the void left by Jaquan Brisker’s departure.”

So, why the low grade? They didn’t “love the value Chicago got” with their day-two selections of center Logan Jones, tight end Sam Roush and wide receiver Zavion Thomas.

No NFL team is going to please everybody with their picks, so The Ringer’s thoughts shouldn’t be taken to heart. Johnson has already proven that he knowns the vision that he has for this team, so he obviously had a good reason for the team’s 2026 selections.