Bear Digest

Chicago Bears Players Found a Way to Stand Out at the 2026 Pro Bowl Games

Even in flag football, Bears defenders made noise as Nashon Wright and Kevin Byard III turned heads during the Pro Bowl Games.
Bryan Perez|
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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If you're a Chicago Bears fan who tuned into the Pro Bowl games expecting a football fix for a Sunday without NFL action, you were probably disappointed. But it was still fun to see a few Bears players make some highlight-worthy plays.

Let's start with cornerback Nahshon Wright, who's jockeying for a lucrative contract in 2026 free agency. Wright finished as the event's leading "tackler" with 10. He had a sack and an interception, something Bears fans grew accustomed to him doing in 2025.

Wright ended the regular season with five interceptions in what was a breakout campaign for him.

Joining Wright on the Pro Bowl Games highlight reel was safety Kevin Byard III. He finished with four tackles and an interception. Again, Deja Vu for Bears fans.

Byard led the NFL with seven interceptions in 2025, and like Wright, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent.

MORE: ESPN 2-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft Sends Chicago Bears Defensive Help Early

Byard and Wright are two of the tougher decisions facing GM Ryan Poles this offseason. Both players have earned a massive pay raise, but the Bears may have no choice but to prioritize only one. Remember: Jaquan Brisker is an unrestricted free agent, too.

Let's not forget about the two Chicago Bears offensive linemen who were part of the Pro Bowl festivities. Drew Dalman took some reps, while Joe Thuney took the veteran route and watched from the sideline. Thuney's better off getting fitted for his gold jacket than he is taking any meaningless reps.

MORE: Senior Bowl Standout Linked to Chicago Bears as 2026 NFL Draft Fit

The biggest takeaway from the Pro Bowl Games is that the Bears actually had a presence for once. And there's no doubt that it will become a common occurrence, especially with young stars like Caleb Williams, Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze, and Luther Burden all capable of ranking among the NFC's best at their positions in 2026.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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