Chicago Bears Roster Ranking: Where Does Bears' Linebacker Room Rank in the NFL?

The Bears significantly revamped their linebacker room this offseason. Where does the new-look unit rank among the rest of the league?

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards (53) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A nuclear bomb went off in the Bears' linebacker room midway through last season. Their depth was tested, and a few of the backups played extremely well after the starters went down.

The front office rewarded one of those backups, D'Marco Jackson, with a two-year contract this offseason. However, he and veteran T.J. Edwards are the only two key contributors who will reclaim their roles on defense. The team released Tremaine Edmunds and signed Devin Bush to take his place for less money.

They also brought back a fan favorite in Jack Sanborn, a United Football League standout in Tony Fields II, and drafted a potential gem in the fifth round in Arizona State product Keyshaun Elliott.

Where does their linebacker room rank among the rest of the NFL after the recent facelift?

Rankings

*It's important to note that I only included off-the-ball linebackers here. Any 3-4 outside 'backers factored into my previous defensive line ranking piece.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

2. Baltimore Ravens

3. San Francisco 49ers

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

5. Houston Texans

6. New York Giants

7. Cleveland Browns

8. Washington Commanders

9. Chicago Bears

10. Minnesota Vikings

11. Miami Dolphins

12. Green Bay Packers

13. New York Jets

14. Detroit Lions

15. Buffalo Bills

16. Carolina Panthers

17. Jacksonville Jaguars

18. Denver Broncos

19. Los Angeles Rams

20. Kansas City Chiefs

21. Las Vegas Raiders

22. New England Patiots

23. Seattle Seahawks

24. Indianapolis Colts

25. Dallas Cowboys

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

27. New Orleans Saints

28. Los Angeles Chargers

29. Atlanta Falcons

30. Tennessee Titans

31. Cincinnati Bengals

32. Arizona Cardinals

Where they're trending: Upward (largely due to having MUCH better depth)

Sep 28, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) is tackled by Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush (30) during the second half at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bears accomplished an extremely difficult task this offseason. They managed to improve the linebacker position while somehow paying less to the group as a whole. The Bears were set to pay Tremaine Edmunds $17.5 million this offseason, and they saved $15 million by cutting ties with him. They saved an additional $2 million by releasing Amen Ogbongbemiga.

Meanwhile, Devin Bush, whom they signed to a three-year, $30 million deal this offseason, will only count $5.6 million against the cap this season. D'Marco Jackson, who signed a two-year, $7.5 million deal, will only count $3 million against the cap. They also brought in Jack Sanborn and Tony Fields II for near-veteran minimum salaries worth just over $1 million.

While Edmunds is a solid player who thrived in coverage, he was often caught out of position on early downs. Bush is not only better than Edmunds on passing downs (which is saying a lot), but he was also a force against the run last season in Cleveland. He's one of the most instinctive 'backers in the league when he's on his game, and the only reason he is making less than Edmunds is that he struggled with inconsistency before enjoying a bounce-back campaign with the Browns.

Still, if Bush can show he can build on the performance, then he will be a downright steal for Chicago. He has legit All-Pro potential if he proves to be a good fit for the defense.

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush (30) tackles Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) in the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Very few teams feature three solid starting off-the-ball linebackers. When healthy, the Bears have that in Bush, Edwards, and Jackson.

The last of those names might not move the needle for many people, but I'm a big believer in what Jackson put on tape when he finally got his opportunity last season. He was one of the top coverage 'backers in the entire league and showed real playmaking ability down the stretch. It wouldn't be surprising to see him expand his role on passing downs in place of Edwards this season.

Also, it's worth noting that their depth held up remarkably well last season, but they still didn't feature any known commodities after the starters went down. Jackson and Ogbongbemiga were seen as nothing more than special team standouts before last season. However, as it stands right now, the depth they have along the offensive line and TE room are the only units that rival that of their linebacker position.

Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker D'Marco Jackson (48) sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jack Sanborn and Tony Fields II are both special teams aces. There is at least some hope that they could hold their own if they were forced to see action on defense, as well. The former is only a few years removed from being a lone standout for Chicago on the defensive side of the ball. The latter was named to the 2026 All-UFL team in the spring and has some starting experience with the Browns.

Fifth-round selection Keyshaun Elliott should also thrive on special teams, and he could also make his mark on defense if injuries force him into the lineup. It's also too early to completely shut the door on Ruben Hyppolite II after the Bears selected him in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While he didn't put anything on tape that would instill confidence in his future, he's also only 24 and could carve out a role if he shows up to training camp ready to play.

Overall, the Bears might not roster one of the NFL's premier linebackers, but they do boast one of the league's more well-rounded units. While the team will have to answer a handful of questions regarding their secondary and defensive line, the middle of the defense should be a stabilizing force if they stay relatively healthy.