The Chicago Bears' 5 Worst Draft Picks in the Last 10 Years

Drafting is an inexact science. Even the best of the best miss for any number of reasons-injuries, poor scheme fit, off-the-field issues, lack of development, and so on. With the 2026 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, things should be quiet on the personnel side until training camps open in July.

With that in mind, it seems like the perfect time to go back over the last 10 drafts to identify picks which didn't pan out for each of the 32 clubs. Before we begin, let's set the ground rules: We're starting with the 2016 draft, so no players from the 2026 draft are eligible.

Now that we've established the parameters, here are the Chicago Bears' five worst draft picks of the past decade:

Dishonorable Mentions

• OL Teven Jenkins (39th Overall, 2021)
• DL Zacch Pickens (64th Overall, 2023)
• OL Kiran Amegadjie (75th Overall, 2024)

5) WR Velus Jones Jr., 71st Overall (2022)

An early third-round selection, Jones failed to make his mark on offense. He flailed as a receiver, and a desperate attempt to convert him to running back never paid dividends. Jones did earn a Super Bowl ring this past season playing special teams for the Seahawks, but he's no lock to be on anyone's Week 1 roster in 2026.

4) TE Adam Shaheen, 45th Overall (2017)

Size and athleticism were supposed to ease Shaheen's transition from unknown Ashland University to the NFL. Instead, the 6-foot-7 former basketball player looked overmatched, and when he was in line for opportunities, injuries short-circuited them. He never caught more than 12 passes in a season.

3) WR Anthony Miller, 51st Overall (2018)

After leading the team in touchdown receptions as a rookie, Miller would do little in his two remaining seasons with the Bears before he was bundled with a seventh-round pick to Houston for a fifth-rounder. He'd appear in just five NFL games following the trade, spending the next few years bouncing around practice squads.

2) QB Mitchell Trubisky, 2nd Overall (2017)

These top two spots are a coin flip. The case for Trubisky in the top spot is clear: Chicago gave up two third-round picks (which became Alvin Kamara and Fred Warner) to move up one spot, and they took Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes. So, why is he here instead? He was a better, more successful player for the Bears-he went 29-21 as a starter for Chicago.

1) QB Justin Fields, 11th Overall (2021)

While Fields didn't have a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback taken after him, he did cost the Bears a future first-round pick along with two midrounders. He was also far less successful than Trubisky in Chicago, winning just 10 of his 38 starts. Fields is an incredible athlete, but after he struggled with the Jets in 2025, you wonder if he'll ever get another chance at a full-time QB1 job.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 8:00 AM.