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Bears' 4 Biggest Assets in 2026 and Ben Johnson's Offense Is the Most Important of All

The Bears have 4 key assets heading into 2026. Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson's offense and a winning culture make Chicago a legitimate NFC North title contender.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ben Johnson's creative abilities on offense give the Bears an edge they may have never had until now.
Ben Johnson's creative abilities on offense give the Bears an edge they may have never had until now. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

Despite winning a division title, skepticism exists over the Bears' ability to extend their success or even improve.

This is hardly consensus. There is logic to it, though, largely because of their more difficult schedule based on last year's winning percentages. However, this year's percentages could be different because last year is done.

Even AI sees the Bears as capable. The chatbot Grok was asked about their chances, then produced a game-by-game scenario where they win 11 games and defend their division title.

The Bears can't be discounted by anyone except Packers fans, and they have bias. There are too many strengths or assets associated with the team now to expect a step back, but things happen in the NFL to alter situations. Mainly, injuries during a season can do it.

Here are the greatest Bears assets going into 2026 that make them contenders. They don't have a proven pass rush and they've rebuilt their secondary, but they have some things any team can use.

4. The offensive line

It's 40% different than last year, but not entirely. Because Braxton Jones is a former starter, is healthy now, and stronger, and had seasons in the past as either a stronger run blocker or stronger pass blocker, they can't expect their line to drop off much because they lost left tackle Ozzy Trapilo. In fact, Jones had a far superior run-blocking grade as a rookie to Trapilo's and better overall blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus. The position could actually be an upgrade if Jones just returns to his 2022 form or 2024 prior to his ankle injury.

As for their other line change, it's not going to be easy without Drew Dalman but Garrett Bradbury just played for a Super Bowl line that finished sixth in rushing, only three spots below the Bears.

As long as they block for the run, they'll be fine.

3. Winning blend

The Bears have a potent combination. They have valuable experience at winning — especially doing it in the fashion they did last year. Teams who come from behind late are learning how to win in the NFL because most games get determined late. Prior to last season, they couldn't say this.

They also are a young team. Although they ranked only 17th or right in the middle with age during a survey of their offseason roster, they still were younger than both Detroit and Minnesota and their age is artificially boosted by a 38-year-old third-string quarterback and a 34-year-old kicker.

2. Caleb Williams

The accumulation of naysayers had been loud and in multitudes after 2024. "What did we tell you?" they demanded. Williams would be a bust. The Merrill Hoges of the world were spiking the proverbial football. And then came six regular-season fourth-quarter comebacks and five game-winning drives. It wasn't just the comebacks, but the unbelievable ways Williams found to do it, and the huge comebacks they overcame.

He did it all in his first year within the offense and with an offense just starting to form. The flaws gradually could vanish.

The deep middle is the worst place most quarterbacks can throw the ball but because he has such a strong arm, Williams last year had a 133.0 passer rating throwing the deep middle (over 20 yards) on 34 attempts with seven touchdowns and only one interception.

When a passer has that much confidence and the kind of arm to challenge where no QB likes to go, they can expect to improve all over the field.

1. Ben Johnson's mind

Their coach's ability to craft an offense, an attack, and stay on top the cutting edge is the main reason they turned it around so quickly.

For years, the Bears were trailers. They came upon offenses to use after they'd been tried over and over elsewhere in the league. Johnson brings an approach that is the cutting edge for today's football.

PFF also did a survey on one of the league's great offensive trends, and that's the run-pass option, or RPO. The RPO was all the rage already when the Bears brought in Matt Nagy from a franchise where this form of attack had basically flourished. The shotgun-based quick game off of the bell fake never really took off for the Bears. Even in 2018 when they won the NFC North, it was largely because of Vic Fangio's defense.

Johnson had Williams throwing only 28 times out of RPO per Pro Football Reference's advanced passing stats. That was only 23rd in the league. Williams, however, had the second-most, play-action attempts in the league last year with 169. Only Matthew Stafford (207) had more.

Johnson is a strong believer in the running game, play-action and using multiple tight ends the way the Rams did it last year. They were even half a step ahead of him with this last year by using three tight ends numerous times. The drafting of Sam Roush says the Bears plan to up their use of three tight ends now.

As for the RPO?

Maybe it will have a place in college and high school football but in the NFL the use of RPO took a real step backward for the first time since the rage began in 2016. It was used only 7.95% according to PFF's study of offenses. It had dropped in 2024 to 8.96 from a high of 10.52 in 2023. The trend is obvious. There had been no drop in successive years since the increase in RPO use began, and the drop there was, in 2019, was only by 0.22% to 7.63%. Every other year it increased. Taking its place is the play-action and multiple tight end set.

Johnson is something the Bears didn't even have when they were winning in the 1980s under Mike Ditka, and definitely lacked when Lovie Smith took them to the Super Bowl after the 2006 season. He is on the cutting edge and his long-held belief in the running game and play-action will be a major reason to expect continued progress moving forward.

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Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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