The Chicago Bears made the playoffs in 2025. They won a playoff game for the first time since 2010. That’s real progress. But now the question isn’t whether Ben Johnson can coach. It’s whether the roster he inherited and reshaped can avoid being a one-hit wonder.
DJ Moore is gone. Drew Dalman retired. The Bears spent money and draft picks in all the right places. They brought in Devin Bush and Coby Bryant. They let Tremaine Edmunds walk. The result is a team built around a young quarterback who looked like a star last season. If Caleb Williams keeps ascending, Chicago might be a problem for the whole NFC. If he stalls, it doesn’t matter how good anyone else is.
So here’s how every position group stacks up heading into training camp. Special teams gets a nod but they’re not in the rankings.
1. Quarterback
Caleb Williams threw for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in 2025. He added 388 yards and three scores on the ground. He led fourth-quarter comebacks. He looked like the guy Chicago thought they were drafting first overall. The offense is built around him. Ben Johnson has had a full year to install his system. Williams has all the tools to take another step in 2026. The microscope will be on him every snap. That’s fair. He can handle it.
2. Offensive Line
If Dalman hadn’t retired, this group might be first. Joe Thuney and Darnell Wright are legitimate All-Pro candidates. Jonah Jackson held up fine in his first year in Chicago. Left tackle is a question mark with Ozzy Trapilo hurt but Braxton Jones is still there. Garrett Bradbury will start at center. He’s solid but not Dalman. The Bears did use a second-rounder on Logan Jones. If he develops fast, this line stays a strength for a while.
3. Tight End
Colston Loveland caught 58 passes for 713 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. He’s a matchup nightmare. Cole Kmet isn’t going anywhere. He has nearly 3,000 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in six years with the Bears. Defenses can’t double both of them. Then add third-round pick Sam Roush. He’s more of a blocker right now but Johnson loves 13-personnel. This group is deep and versatile.
4. Wide Receiver
Losing Moore hurts. He was a proven difference-maker. But Rome Odunze is ready to be the WR1 after catching 44 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns in 2026. Luther Burden came on strong late last season — 47 catches, 652 yards, two touchdowns. The Bears traded Moore partly because they believe in Burden. Kalif Raymond or third-rounder Zavion Thomas will fill the WR3 role. The top two are good enough to make this work.
5. Safety
Chicago rebuilt this entire position in one offseason. Coby Bryant arrives fresh off a Super Bowl win in Seattle. He had four interceptions last year and 66 tackles. His running mate is rookie Dillon Thieneman, the Bears’ first-round pick. He was the second safety taken in the draft and scouts loved him. If he hits, this duo could be special.
6. Running Back
The Bears finished third in rushing in 2025 with 144.5 yards per game. D’Andre Swift hit career highs — 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, plus 299 receiving yards. Kyle Monangai, a seventh-round rookie, totaled 783 yards and five touchdowns. Neither is a superstar name. Both fit what Johnson wants to do. The run game should keep humming.
7. Cornerback
Health is the story here. Jaylon Johnson is a two-time Pro Bowler but played only eight games in 2025 due to a groin injury. Kyler Gordon signed a $40 million extension and played three games. Tyrique Stevenson is in a contract year and has flashed but hasn’t put it all together. If everyone is healthy, this is a good unit. That’s a big if.
8. Linebacker
The Bears saved cap space by cutting Tremaine Edmunds and brought in Devin Bush. Bush just had his best NFL season — 125 tackles, three interceptions, two pick-sixes, two sacks. T.J. Edwards is crucial when healthy but missed 10 games in 2025 and broke his leg in the playoffs. D’Marco Jackson filled in well with 43 tackles, a sack and a pick. He could earn a bigger role.
9. Defensive Tackle
Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter Jr. are the starters. Dexter has 11 sacks over the last two years. Jarrett had a shaky first season in Chicago. Behind them, Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, seventh-rounder Jordan van den Berg, and former second-rounder Shemar Turner provide depth. The Bears have numbers. They need more production.
10. Pass Rush
Montez Sweat is the man. He had 10 sacks in 2025. But he needs help. Opposing offensive lines just double him and dare someone else to win. Dayo Odeyingbo was a big free agent signing and then tore his Achilles, playing eight games with one sack. Austin Booker had 4.5 sacks as a rookie but has only 27 games of experience with nine starts. Bears fans wanted pass rush help all offseason. They didn’t get it. The guys in the room have to prove they’re better than everyone thinks.
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