Chicago Bears Getting More Top-10 Love Heading Into Next Season

Can the Bears go from making football fun in Chicago to bringing back a Lombardi Trophy?

Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the third quarter of an NFC Divisional Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The expectations are only getting higher when it comes to the 2026 Chicago Bears.

While they’re not opening as a favorite to win the Super Bowl necessarily, they’re definitely on man experts’ radars as a team to watch next season as the Ben Johnson-Caleb Williams combo continues to come into its own.

NFL Media’s Eric Edholm wants to make sure they keep getting their respect, ranking them seventh overall in the way-too-early power rankings for 2026.

“The Bears made football fun again in Chicago. From the team’s poor recent history to the 0-2 start, things were pretty dark at one point. That’s when the Caleb Williams-Ben Johnson magic kicked in and delivered one thrilling finish after another. Even the losses were entertaining and mostly encouraging,” he wrote.

Aside from the New England Patriots, who made a random dark-house appearance in the Super Bowl this past season, you could argue the Bears were the most entertaining team in the league, with their penchant for last-second comebacks and Williams’ logic-defying heroics. The operation wasn’t just hype, though, as Chicago pulled off a thrilling win against the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs and went toe-to-toe with the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field before falling in overtime.

If they want to get over that hump, Edholm added, they have to realize their shortcomings.

“They will need to identify ways to fortify the defense and stabilize the offense for another big run in what should be a loaded NFC North once again. The foundation is in place, but there’s still more building to do. A few cuts might be necessary, and that’s assuming they can redo some contracts, but Chicago will likely have neither the cap space nor the draft ammunition to make blockbuster additions,” he warned.

That means, as plenty of people of already noted, that big trades for disgruntled Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby or even a major signing of Trey Hendrickson are probably out. This makes firming up the defense in the upcoming draft even more important.

The good news: the offense is largely locked in, with their quarterback, offensive line (aside from left tackle), and their best pass-catchers under contract for next year. Though there might be some tough decisions made on the roster, that part should at least be mostly set.

And as long as the Bears have Johnson and Williams running the show, they’re going to be a player in the NFC for a while. Better yet: they have unfinished business from last season. 

So don’t expect the Bears to leave that top-10 conversation any time soon. They’re just getting started.

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