7 New Chicago Bears Players Who Could Make or Break the 2026 Season

We have identified seven new Chicago Bears players who could be the difference between regression and progression in 2026.

Chicago Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

If the Chicago Bears are going to take the next step after a very successful 2025 campaign, they're going to need significant contributions from both returning and new players.

The Bears didn't have a sexy offseason with massive moves, but they did see turnover at key positions and the new players stepping into those roles are tasked with filling big shoes.

We have identified seven new Bears players who could be the difference between regression and progression for the team in 2026 as it looks to make its second-consecutive playoff appearance for the first time since 2006.

CB Malik Muhammad

Texas defensive back Malik Muhammad. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Chicago needs to improve a pass defense that was the 11th-worst in the NFL last season. Having Johnson and Kyler Gordon healthy will no doubt help, but Chicago also needs consistent play from the CB2 spot.

The Bears have a major question mark there now, as the team will hold a competition between rookie Malik Muhammad and veteran Tyrique Stevenson for the starting job opposite Johnson.

Stevenson struggled in 2025 and was eventually replaced by Nahshon Wright, who played well but left in free agency. Now, Chicago might have to depend on him again in 2026.

That is, if Muhammad doesn't win the starting job, something we think he's very capable of doing, especially against lackluster competition like Stevenson.

If Muhammad can win the job and play at a high level, the Bears could have one of the best cornerback rooms and pass defenses in the NFL this coming season and that will offer a huge lift to the team's playoff chances amid a difficult schedule.

C Garrett Bradbury

Former New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Continuity along the offensive line is everything. Unfortunately for the Bears, they won't have that in 2026. One reason is because of the unexpected retirement of Drew Dalman.

In order to replace Dalman, the Bears traded for veteran Garrett Bradbury, who is expected to start barring second-round pick Logan Jones ascending fast enough to take the job from him.

Center is one of the most important positions upfront and a failure to adequately take care of the position's responsibilities can mess everything up for an offense.

Thankfully, Bradbury is an experienced center, so that shouldn't happen in Chicago, but we won't know for sure until Bradbury is actually on the field and snapping Caleb Williams the football.

LT Jedrick Wills

Former Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This one depends on how the competition with Braxon Jones shakes out, as Jedrick Wills will be vying for the starting left tackle job vacated thanks to the injury to Ozzy Trapilo, who suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in last season's playoffs.

A former No. 10 pick of the Cleveland Browns, Wills' career has been a major disappointment up until this point because of both injury and ineffectiveness. The hope is that Wills can bounce back following 2025 surgery for an injury that might have been at least partly to blame for his issues in the past.

Protecting Williams' blindside is crucial for the success of the offense. We can only hope that either Wills or Jones will answer the bell and adequately replace the ascending Trapilo.

S Coby Bryant

Former Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Bears allowed both Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker to walk in free agency, leaving the team in need of two new starters. Signing Coby Bryant took care of one of those open spots.

More specifically, Bryant is expected to take on the free safety role that Byard held the past two seasons. Those shoes won't be easy to fill, as Byard played well and was a leader for the Bears.

Making Bryant's showing even more crucial, he's likely to have a rookie in Dillon Thieneman starting next to him and if the first-round pick gets off to a slow start, Bryant will need to step up even more.

S Dillon Thieneman

Chicago Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Thieneman should be a Day 1 starter and, like Bryant, he also has big shoes to fill as he looks to take on the role previously held by Brisker.

Not only do the Bears need Thieneman to be better in coverage than Brisker was, they also need the rookie to help out in the run game, where the Bears sported the sixth-worst showing in the league in 2025.

Having Thieneman performing at a high level along with Bryant, Johnson, Gordon and Stevenson or Muhammad could turn the Bears' pass defense into one of the NFL's best in 2026.

DL Neville Gallimore

Former Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Neville Gallimore. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

There wasn't much fanfare about the signing of Neville Gallimore, but he's about as important as anyone upfront in 2026.

That's because the Bears desperately need to see improvement up the middle, both in run defense and in the pass-rush. Along with their poor run defense, only one interior defender posted more than 1.5 sacks (Gervon Dexter).

Both Dexter and Grady Jarrett were awful against the run, and Jarrett had just 1.5 sacks. Gallimore has the potential to offer a boost in the pass-rush after he tallied three sacks, but there isn't much hope for him offering an upgrade in run defense after he finished with a putrid 45.8 Pro Football Focus grade last season.

LB Devin Bush

Former Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Devin Bush was one of the biggest offseason acquisitions for the Bears, and not just because of his contract. Bush will be replacing Tremaine Edmunds, who was cut loose by the Bears earlier this offseason.

While Edmunds didn't quite live up to his contract, he was still an important player for the Bears during his tenure in Chicago.

Bush has the potential to be even better after finding his stride with the Browns in recent years. If he can operate at that level in his first season in Chicago, Bush will elevate the Bears' defense.