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Top 10 Chicago Bears Candidates Poised for Breakout Seasons in 2026

Last year was one filled with fantastic finishes for the Bears, but if these players can have breakout seasons, then the wins could be achieved more comfortably.
Gene Chamberlain|
The Bears see Kyler Gordon as more than just a one-trick pony doing flips in warmups if he stays healthy in 2026.
The Bears see Kyler Gordon as more than just a one-trick pony doing flips in warmups if he stays healthy in 2026. | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Breakout years come in all shapes and sizes, like the players who have them.

They're highly subjective situations and not based solely on a number or some analytic website's assessment. What some people consider a breakout season might not be, but when a player has one it should be obvious.

The Bears have 10 players who look primed for breakout seasons.

Some are better situated for one than others. With some, it seems like a long shot but they are candidates nonetheless. For some, it's their last chance and they need a breakout season

Here are the 10 Bears breakout candidates ranked in order.

10. T Braxton Jones

For their 2022 fifth-round pick, it's a one-year reprieve to show he can be the player they saw budding in 2023 and early 2024 before his ankle injury. Last year Jones didn't seem headed for a particularly good season before being benched and then injured again. He had one good blocking game per Pro Football Focus grades, that against Dallas. Two of the other three games rated as lousy, as he tried coming back from ankle surgery. People forget how in 2024 before his injury, he ranked 17th among all tackles in pass blocking despite allowing seven sacks and committing 12 penalties, or that he was the 10th best run blocker at tackle as a fifth-round rookie. Jones has been through so much negative that it almost seems as likely he bombs out again as it does he takes the job over free agent Jedrick Wills and undrafted Theo Benedet. But there's a chance based on his early production.

9. CB Tyrique Stevenson

The Hail Mary is the stain that just keeps on giving. However, Stevenson always has flashes and then turns the other way. There is talent in there to play man-to-man coverage somewhere. Can Al Harris bring it out of him in a contract year? And will this be the year a mature version of Stevenson allows this? At this point, it wouldn't be a shock if the Bears drafted a cornerback on Day 2 because of Stevenson's past failures, but they have  given him a chance and must like his chances because they let Nahshon Wright leave on a $5.5 million contract for next year when they could have kept him and just cut Stevenson at a net $3.2 million gain for the cap. That's only a $2.3 million difference, which isn't really enough to influence any roster decisions.

8. RB Kyle Monangai

While a 4.6-yard average and 783 rushing yards might seem like a breakout year for any rookie seventh-round pick, he's capable of so much more considering he went over six rushing attempts and 19 yards only once in the first six weeks. Give him a 17-game season with similar responsibilities as he had the final 11 weeks and playoffs, and you might see the Bears achieve a rarity with two 1,000-yard rushers.

7. DT Gervon Dexter

There's a speech in a movie that needs to be given to Dexter. It's Mel Gibson as William Wallace in Braveheart telling Robert the Bruce (Angus MacFayden) he sees greatness and leadership in him and imploring him "... just lead them to freedom, they'd follow you, and so would I." Dexter only needs to show he can play run defense. His pressure rate and sacks are fine for a defensive tackle, although he's capable of more. If he figures out how to be a run defender in his contract year, he'll be a worthwhile future investment and a potentially dominant defender. If not, he might not even get an extension offer.

6. WR Rome Odunze

Ryan Poles seemed to give Odunze the benefit of the doubt when he mentioned the broken foot holding back his production last year. He averaged five catches and 74 yards a game in the first four games while making five TD catches. The groundwork was put down, but he didn't go out for injury until December. From that fourth week through Week 13, Odunze averaged three catches for 45.6 yards and scored on touchdown. That couldn't be blamed totally on injury because the foot became too severe to play on at the start of December. In the playoffs, he had four receptions for 88 yards. Odunze shows the big-play potential with his yards after the catch and tied for the team lead for third-down receptions, but just didn't break the barrier to big-time production. The injury couldn't be totally to blame. This is his year to make the breakthrough because his fifth-year option decision will be next spring. You'd think he would rank higher on the list but his sense of urgency just hasn't seemed to be there.

5. DE Austin Booker

The ascension began after he came off injured reserve in his second season. After six weeks, it was like the light turned on. For his last six games, including the playoffs, Booker had 4 1/2 sacks, 15 pressures, eight quarterback its, 26 tackles and four for loss. He had made 2 1/2 sacks and 11 pressures in his first 23 games. Booker looks like the real deal and could put up much bigger sack and pressures numbers in Year 3.

4. TE Colston Loveland

To most tight ends, 58 catches and six touchdowns might represent a breakout rookie season. However, Loveland looks capable of much more. He was only 12th among tight ends in receptions last year because he had only 11 catches for 116 yards and no TDs through Week 8. With his miracle game-winning TD catch and run to start November, Loveland finished his last 12 games, including the playoffs, with 59 receptions for 790 yards and six TDs. There is so much more coming from a tight end who will be a main target in Ben Johnson's offense and chasing passes from a QB who now has a better grasp of that offense.

3. WR Luther Burden

Burden finished third in the NFL in yards per route run, so he is a big play waiting to happen. Just like with Loveland, he got a late start on production because of injuries during his first offseason of work. He had 13 catches for 171 yards with a TD in his first eight weeks, then 40 receptions for 547 yards and a TD through the playoffs. All of that came with DJ Moore taking targets he might have otherwise had. Moore isn't there now. Loveland will get more of a season playing the slot position that Johnson's offense seemed to run through at Detroit.

2. DB Kyler Gordon

He not only looks capable of a breakout season, he also needs one. They gave him the big contract extension and instead of missing several games due to injuries like in 2022-24, he missed almost the full season, making into the lineup for five games including the playoffs. His 23 regular-season games lost to injuries puts him in the place where he needs the interception and forced-fumble production associated with a defensive playmaker position like slot cornerback in a Dennis Allen defensive scheme. Allen admitted several times to Gordon's potential but they just haven't had the chance to see enough of it. Turnovers, tackles for loss, sacks of blitzes and general havoc could ensue in a Gordon breakthrough year that injuries have prevented to date.

1. QB Caleb Williams

When he has done what he accomplished in terms of comeback wins and big plays last year in his first year within the offense, and did this with a 58.1% completion rate, it only stands to reason the best is yet to come. It's not even close. The 4,000-yard barrier should be passed without even thinking about it. If the offensive line holds up with a new center, and the running game and pass blocking continue to be as effective as last year, there is no limit to the leap he can make in touchdown productivity and passer efficiency. Williams had a breakout season as a winner in 2025. He can have a breakout season as a quarterback in 2026.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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