4 Biggest Concerns From First Week of Bears 2026 Training Camp

Training camps are in full swing at Halas Hall as the Chicago Bears prepare for what is a crucial 2026 season. After a shocking run to the NFC North division title and a miraculous Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers, expectations are higher than they've been in a long time for this snakebitten franchise. No longer the hunted, the Bears must now prove that they can lead the pack and win games while everyone comes gunning for them.

To their credit, the team gave the fanbase plenty to be excited about in the first week of training camp, including some highlight plays from the offense. But the team isn't perfect, and there have been some concerning developments. Here are four concerns that popped up last week that Bears fans should monitor closely.

1. Kyler Gordon's health

Since signing his market-setting contract extension with the Bears last April, Gordon has played in just five games, including the playoffs. Now he's sidelined once again, starting training camp on the Bears' PUP list (physically-unable-to-perform). His health is without a doubt the biggest concern for the Bears so far, as every day Gordon is unable to practice is another day in which the defense has to try to cobble together a starting unit.

That's what makes Gordon's absence so frustrating for the coaches and the fans. Gordon is a true difference-maker for this defense. When he's on the field and healthy, both the run and pass defense are elevated to new heights. But the best ability is availibility, as the saying goes, and if he can't get healthy and stay healthy soon, the 2026 season will almost certainly be Gordon's last in Chicago.

2. Consistency in the secondary

Tyrique Steveso — Chicago Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson signs autographs during Training Camp. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On top of the lingering inconsistency of Gordon's injury, inconsistency of play is another problem in Chicago's secondary. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen identified this as Tyrique Stevenson's top priority at training camp as the veteran fights to secure a roster spot. Whether Stevenson can have a bounce back year in 2026 is vitally important to Chicago's cornerback room, which currently lacks a proven CB2 on the depth chart.

Sure, Nahshon Wright earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2025, but he was wildly inconsistent from down to down. The Bears don't need another year of that. What they need is a steady presence opposite of Jaylon Johnson, whether that's Stevenson or someone else.

3. Defensive question marks

Chicago Bears DT Grady Jarrett talks to his teammates during Training Camp. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After three straight days of dominance by the offense, including a day in which Caleb Williams might have had his best practice yet, the defense finally showed up to win the day on Saturday. Of course, fans always enjoy watching their offense consistently beat the defense in training camp, but if the Bears are to contend for a Super Bowl in 2026, the defense will have to be better than it was a year ago. So far, the first week of practice has told us precious little about what to expect from Chicago's defense.

For instance, did the offense win the first three days of training camp because they're truly becoming an elite unit, or is the defense still a major work-in-progress? If the latter, should fans be concerned that they so thoroughly flummoxed the offense on Saturday?

4. Darnell Wright's Contract Situation

This isn't the same kind of concern as the previous three, but it still strikes me as odd that a player as dominant as Darnell Wright has been still doesn't have a contract extension in hand. This isn't how Bears general manager Ryan Poles has typically done business. Cole Kmet signed his four-year, $50 million extension on the eve of training camp in 2023, while Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon both signed their deals in April of 2024 and 2025, respectively.

All three players were Bears draft picks who had earned a second contract with the team, and all three had signed on the dotted line before training camp. Now we're entering Week 2 of training camp in 2026, but Wright is still without an extension. Bears fans will have to hope that an agreement is forthcoming and that it won't be a distracting issue for Wright.

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