Chicago Bears trade another draft pick for interior defensive lineman Chris Williams

In less than 24 hours, the Chicago Bears have traded two sixth-round picks for defensive linemen.

This time, they've added to the interior of the team's defensive line.

The Bears have traded a sixth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Cleveland Browns for defensive tackle Chris Williams.

In the trade, the Bears also received a 2025 seventh-round selection from the Browns.

The Bears, who started Friday with three sixth-round selections, traded the sixth-round selection they acquired last year in a trade with Miami for Chase Claypool to Cleveland. Yesterday, they traded a sixth-round pick to Seattle for pass rusher Darrell Taylor.

It makes sense to believe the pick they're keeping is the sixth-round selection from Pittsburgh received in the Justin Fields trade, which has a chance to be a conditional fourth rounder.

Williams spent this past offseason in Cleveland's training camp. He'll add key depth to the interior of the Bears' defensive line, which Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said was an area of concern Thursday evening with Zacch Pickens' injury.

Williams, a Wager College product, appeared 13 regular-season games with the Indianapolis Colts between the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Last season, Williams spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs in the final three weeks of the regular season.

Williams is also the third Chris Williams to play for the Bears since 2012. The Bears also had offensive tackle Chris Williams and receiver Chris Williams play for the franchise in the last 12 years.

What the trade for Chris Williams means

The most difficult part of this trade means Pickens could be sidelined for Week 1 and potentially beyond.

Eberflus was asked about defensive tackle depth Thursday after the preseason finale win against the Chiefs, and he did note that there was a concern with how the position stood after the preseason.

There are players Eberflus has liked seeing, like Byron Cowart, but the lack of size and bodies was still a major issue.

"It’s not as strong and as deep as you would want so there is a concern there," Eberflus said Thursday. "We’re going to be looking at that. Cowart has done a nice job in there for the limited time he’s played."

Williams knows Eberflus. He played for Eberflus when he was the defensive coordinator in Indianapolis. The familiarity should mean he can pick the system up quickly and fit in the rotation if need to.

It's never good when a day-two draft pick in Pickens, who the coaching staff was looking to get more out of in year two, is potentially sidelined for a week or maybe more.

There are players the Bears have currently who have stood out, but they can't be passive at a position which is integral to Eberflus' defense.

"We have some options there," Eberflus said Thursday. "But we’re definitely going to look at that."