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Bear Digest

Ranking the Chicago Bears' Defining Moments in 2026 Offseason

Some additions and subtractions have keyed how the new Bears and also veterans are viewed by NFL critics.
Gene Chamberlain|
With DJ Moore gone now, Luther Burden and several other young Bears are in a position where they need to step up.
With DJ Moore gone now, Luther Burden and several other young Bears are in a position where they need to step up. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Since the Bears last walked off a playing field, much occurred to alter their look.

Free agency, a draft, OTAs, and minicamp all make for a different mix than the one they had after Caleb Williams threw the interception that led to an overtime playoff loss against the Rams at Soldier Field.

Subsequent offseason practices confirm for the team where key veterans are to a far greater degree than they speak about rookies and other acquisitions.

After all, the returning veteran players who might have been injured or figured to battle for starting or roster spots have been in the NFL before and possibly even with the Bears.

There is a frame of reference and a team history with them. Rookies provide nothing more than hope and promise. They need to show even more in training camp and preseason merely to make the team, let alone be someone who can be projected into a key role.

The exception, of course, is first-round picks like Dillon Thieneman. He'd better be starting on opening day considering his first-round pedigree and the fact the Bears have no one else capable of being the long-term starting safety alongside Coby Bryant besides him.

The offseason produced its share of the expected and unexpected with training camp coming to wipe the slate clean.

With OTAs and minicamp in the rear view mirror, here are the biggest Bears developments shaping the 2026 offseason. Not all of them are positive. The Bears would no doubt love for a more accurate Caleb Williams to be one of these but he's not facing a pass rush in offseason work. He looks a bit sharper but who really knows at this point?

8. Braxton Jones' return to health

With left tackle uncertain after Ozzy Trapilo's severe knee injury, getting Jones back in free agency was a necessity. Not only did they do that, but over the course of minicamp and later in OTAs it became apparent he has returned closer to the skill level he displayed in his first two years. An All-Rookie team member in 2022, Jones gives them a chance to replace Trapilo with experience. He also said working with former All-Pro Terron Armstead in the offseason has made his technique better than before his knee injuries in 2024.
"Just trusting those positions in pass pro, bull rush, trust in that position with my left leg back, it helped a lot with him," Jones said. "Trust in those positions, constantly getting in those positions again.

"Then once I came here (to Halas Hall), obviously bullets are flying a little bit faster. You start going against men. So getting that flow and getting back into it, it's constantly getting better. I would say truly trusting it, I definitely got that with Terron.”

7. Coaching loss

Losing running backs coach Eric Bieniemy and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle just after the offseason began could be huge. Bieniemy's ability to coach backs has never been questioned and he immediately had an impact on Kyle Monangai. They have an experienced replacement in Eric Studesville, but Bieniemy's loud approach definitely caught the attention of players and he could be missed. Doyle was a non-play caller so it's possible he'll be missed less. As long as they have Ben Johnson as coach, they don't need to worry about losing a play caller. But Press Taylor does add more experience than Doyle brought to the staff last year.

6. Jaylon Johnson's apparent recovery

The groin injury and surgier Johnson had last year meant the Bears really only had their top secondary player on the field for part of one game. When he returned, he admitted he wasn't 100% because he rushed back after surgery. In the time between season's end and start of minicamp, it wasn't quite apparent where Johnson was. His two interceptions in minicamp signed off on his return to 100%. His return was expected, but at 100% now maybe not as much.

5. Dayo Odeyingbo's rapid return

Of all the injured players from last year who no one would have expected a fast return from, it had to be their defensive end. A player can go more than a year after surgery before regaining 100% ability with this injury. Yet, during minicamp Odeyingbo was lining in full team with the defense. He seemed a bit challenged but even getting on the seven months after surgery could indicate he'll be one of the few to make a fast comeback from the injury. Then again, Odeyingbo didn't exactly shine as an edge player last year.

"We weren't quite sure when we started the offseason program that we would get him for any length of time," Ben Johnson said. "The fact that he's on the field, he wants to be out there, it's just another step forward in terms of him gaining confidence again and how he's moving. He's done a great job being attentive in meetings and I know he was really itching to get back out there with his teammates. It's a step in the right direction for sure.”

A healthy Odeyingbo, producing at the level he did with Indianapolis would be a huge asset for the Bears defense that hasn't otherwise been improved at edge rusher beyond Austin Booker maturing as a player.

4. Kyler Gordon groin saga

Gordon finally got on the field at season's end and for the playoffs after groin injury issues all year and what happens? He suffers another soft tissue injury in offseason work. It's worth wondering if he has some sort of chronic issue. At this point, their slot cornerback position looks entirely uncertain for the start of training camp. They also let slot backup C.J. Gardner-Johnson leave in free agency.

3. Need for speed

They said they needed better speed on defense and made certain they got it by signing Coby Bryant and Devin Bush, and drafting Dillon Thieneman in the first round. Can speed offset the veteran playmakers they lost in Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Nahshon Wright, and Tremaine Edmunds?

2. DJ Moore trade

Although his departure was anticipated, it made it no less impactful. One week he's catching big passes to beat Green Bay in January. Two months later he's on the Buffalo Bills. The Bears have essentially replaced Moore with either Zavion Thomas or Kalif Raymond. While they have Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Colston Loveland to up their own totals and make up for Moore's departure, they don't have that proven veteran big-time player at the position they did have with Moore. Can Odunze or Burden be the big-play maker in clutch situations like Moore against the Packers?

1. Drew Dalman's retirement

Sudden and shocking, this move forced the Bears to sign a free agent in Garrett Bradbury AND draft Logan Jones in the second round. They can only hope they'll get something close to the production Dalman had in his only Pro Bowl season, but Bradbury did anchor a Super Bowl line last year. Either way, it's a change directly affecting Williams since it's the player getting him the ball. No one can be sure they have an answer capable of being an immediate solution until games begin.

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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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