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

The Bears definitely should be healthier in the secondary in 2026. Will they be better with the roster turnover they experienced, though?

Nov 28, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson (1) lines up for a play against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bears underwent a massive overhaul in the secondary this offseason. They lost both of their starting safeties in free agency and promptly replaced them with two players who seem like much better fits for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's scheme, Coby Bryant and Dillon Thieneman.

They also added a potential starter and one of the biggest steals on day three of the draft via the fourth-round selection of Texas cover man Malik Muhammad. Chicago's new-look (and newly healthy) secondary is one of the biggest storylines to keep an eye on this season. Are those additions enough to fortify a unit that gave up the fourth-most yards in the league last season?

We compared the Bears' receiving corps to the field earlier this week, and they ranked among the 10 best units in the NFL. How does the secondary fare using the same criteria?

The rankings

1. Houston Texans

2. Denver Broncos

3. New England Patriots

4. Los Angeles Rams

5. Seattle Seahawks

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Philadelphia Eagles

8. Baltimore Ravens

9. Chicago Bears

10. Indianapolis Colts

11. Cleveland Browns

12. Buffalo Bills

13. Jacksonville Jaguars

14. Green Bay Packers

15. Detroit Lions

16. Los Angeles Chargers

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

18. Minnesota Vikings

19. Carolina Panthers

20. Atlanta Falcons

21. Dallas Cowboys

22. Cincinnati Bengals

23. New York Jets

24. New Orleans Saints

25. New York Giants

26. Arizona Cardinals

27. Kansas City Chiefs

28. San Francisco 49ers

29. Washington Commanders

30. Tennessee Titans

31. Las Vegas Raiders

32. Miami Dolphins

Where they're trending: Upwards (especially with a healthier lineup)

May 8, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) runs during Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Out with the old, in with the new. Kevin Byard III showed that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank last season, but he's still entering the twilight of his career. He'll turn 33 next month and is forced to rely much more on his instincts than his athleticism at this point.

Both Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson preached the importance of improving the speed on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, and they accomplished that goal at the safety position with the additions of Bryant and Thieneman.

The new safety duo is also much more versatile than their predecessors. Byard isn't nearly as much of a force near the line of scrimmage, while Jaquan Brisker is a straight-up liability in coverage. Meanwhile, the Bears now have two players who have experience lining up virtually everywhere in the secondary on the back end. They'll be better equipped to keep opposing offenses on their toes.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant (8) against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One area where the Bears could miss their veterans the most is in the leadership department. Brisker and Byard both thrive in that area. However, they might not rely on that leadership as much if Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon enjoy better luck in the health department.

The Bears also needed to replace Nahshon Wright this offseason, as they would regret not doing so if Johnson or Gordon were to go down.

While fourth-round selection Malik Muhammad would be hard-pressed to replace Wright's penchant for taking the ball away, he should hold up better in coverage than his predecessor. There's a reason Wright only managed to land a one-year, $5.5 million deal despite coming off an eight-takeaway season. He was occasionally a liability in coverage and was often as stiff as a board in man-to-man situations.

Aug 30, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) makes a catch over Texas Longhorns defensive back Malik Muhammad (5) in the first half at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tyrique Stevenson has become somewhat of a forgotten man, but he's the wildcard of the Bears' secondary. If he (finally) establishes an ounce of consistency, then he has a good shot of holding off Muhammad for the duration of his rookie season. With the 26-year-old entering the final year of his rookie contract, he should be extra motivated to do just that.

There is a significant amount of intrigue surrounding the Bears' secondary this offseason, but they should hold up just fine if they can manage to stay relatively healthy. Last year's disappointing season in the yards allowed department has led many to forget that Chicago's defense features a wealth of talent on the back end.

They probably won't lead the NFL in turnovers again, but I could definitely see them finishing near the top of the league in that department (largely because defensive backs coach Al Harris somehow didn't get poached this offseason).