NFL Exec Points Out Big Chicago Bears Problems in 'Unfiltered' Review of Free Agency

The Chicago Bears went into offseason with clear priorities along the defensive line, both on the interior and along the edge.

However, those needs remain unaddressed. The good news is, there is still time in free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft to do so.

While down at the NFL Annual League Meeting, The Athletic's Mike Sando asked executives for "unfiltered" opinions on how the Bears and the rest of the teams in the NFL did in free agency.

The Bears did receive some praise, but one executive pointed out a major problem: Chicago hasn't done enough upfront.

“The pass rush has been their biggest question on defense the last few years,” an exec said. “It hasn’t really been the back end, where they’ve given contracts to Jaylon Johnson and their nickel (Gordon), drafted Tyrique Stevenson."

"They need to improve the D-line, but they couldn’t really do it because they are locked into guys with guaranteed money," the exec added. They didn’t really address their biggest defensive need.”

With the 2026 NFL Draft and post-draft free agency period still to come, there is still time for Chicago to take care of those needs.

Another executive said they would be "shocked if [the Bears] do not continue to build the defensive front," Sando relayed.

It wasn't all bad for the Bears

Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. — Former Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

On executive praised the Bears for signing safety Coby Bryant while noting that the Seattle Seahawks "wanted to keep him."

“Good player — wish we could have gotten him,” the exec said of the new Bears safety.

A different executive noted how the Bears need to get better in the secondary because they simply can't depend on the amount of takeaways the team produced last season.

“You cannot bank on that stuff,” the exec said of turnovers. “They had to get better. They are banking on (corners) Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon being healthy. Coby Bryant is going to play in the post. Devin Bush is the athlete that they like. They will probably either (blitz) him or match him underneath."

In 2025, the Bears led the NFL in turnover differentrial (+22) and total takeaways (33), with Chicago leading in the former category by a wide margin.

It's fair to say the Bears can't depend on that again in 2026, and we need not look any further for proof that is the case than the Green Bay Packers, who finished fourth in takeaways in 2024 before finishing bottom-six in that area in 2025.