Instant takeaways from Bears' 2026 NFL Pro Bowl players

A good week for the Chicago Bears keeps getting better. The NFL revealed the complete roster for the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl Games, and the Bears earned three spots, all of whom will be starters: left guard Joe Thuney, center Drew Dalman, and safety Kevin Byard III. This is a far better showing than last year, when the Bears did not send a single player to the Pro Bowl, and these three are arguably the most deserving Bears to make the cut.

However, one can't help but feel that this number is still much too low. I can think of at least four shocking snubs from the 2026 Pro Bowl roster, most notably cornerback Nahshon Wright. How the NFL's leader in total defensive takeaways won't represent his team at the games this year is beyond me.

Besides the snubs, there are a few more takeaways from the Pro Bowl rosters for Bears fans. Let's dive into them.

1. Ryan Poles is a good general manager

It took longer than most people might have preferred, but it's time to give Ryan Poles his flowers. He tore this team down to the studs when he took the job in 2022 and has built what appears to be a perennial contender with multiple Pro Bowlers. Dalman and Thuney were both new additions, and Byard was signed last year and should be extended this offseason.

He's had his missteps like any GM, but it's no longer credible to say that Poles can't evaluate talent.

2. The NFL remains unconvinced that the Bears are for real

As one of the hottest teams in the NFL and still a potential threat to enter the playoffs as the NFC's No. 1 seed, only getting three players to the Pro Bowl sure feels like a shot across the bow from the NFL's players and coaches to the Bears. It could be considered a hint that, like some fans and analysts, the league still thinks that the "same ol' Bears" could rear their ugly heads at any minute.

I understand this sentiment. The league has been high on this team before, only to see the Bears fall flat. But this year has been different. They've beaten multiple contenders and have put on some of the best, most entertaining games of the year. As we enter the penultimate week of the 2025 season, I'm not sure what else the Bears can do to convince the NFL that they're for real.

3. The best is yet to come for Caleb Williams

It was shocking to see how thoroughly Caleb Williams dominated the fan voting for the 2026 Pro Bowl but did not earn one of the three quarterback spots on the roster. He's had ups and downs this season, but so has every other quarterback, and with Williams, he at least has the excuse of playing in a new system that's notoriously complex.

What's done is done, and some may disagree with Williams deserving a Pro Bowl spot, but what can't be denied is that the best is yet to come. Williams has shown tremendous growth in just one season with Ben Johnson, and I can't wait to see how he looks with a full offseason of fine-tuning the offense under his belt. Mark my words: this will be the last time for a long time that Caleb Williams is excluded from the Pro Bowl.

More Chicago Bears News:

One overlooked reason why the Bears can make a Super Bowl run

Steelers' stunning victory over Lions propels Bears back to the playoffs

Caleb Williams lifts Bears to rare air in 2025 NFL Week 17 power rankings

Insane stat shows just how much Bears' rival respects Caleb Williams

1. Ryan Poles is a good general manager

2. The NFL remains unconvinced that the Bears are for real

3. The best is yet to come for Caleb Williams

More Chicago Bears News:

Sign Up For the Bears Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Chicago Bears Newsletter