Ranking the Chicago Bears' Position Groups After the 2026 NFL Draft

The Bears have accumulated a massive amount of talent the tight end position. Is it enough to earn them the top spot on a position-by-position power ranking?

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Bears did a great job of eliminating some of their most glaring weaknesses through the draft and free agency. That wasn't always a seamless process, either. Drew Dalman threw them an early retirement curveball, and they also created a few additional roster holes while attempting to navigate a difficult cap situation.

While they can still make a few moves before the start of the 2026 NFL season, it would be shocking to see them make any big splashes. We now have a pretty good idea of what they'll be working with in 2026.

How does each position group compare to one another?

10. Defensive Line

Chicago Bears defensive end Grady Jarrett (50) and defensive end Montez Sweat (98) celebrates forcing an incomplete pass by Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) in the fourth quarter during their wild-card playoff football game Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but the Bears didn't add a defensive lineman through the first five rounds of the draft. I almost included defensive ends and defensive tackles as separate entries. Then I realized that it really didn't matter. They'd still be holding up the back-end of these rankings regardless.

Montez Sweat and Austin Booker are solid starters. Grady Jarrett is a good run stuffer, but doesn't provide much juice in the pass-rush department at this stage of his career. Gervon Dexter is the polar opposite (with a more glaring F- run defense grade). The main issue with the group (besides Dexter's inability to hold up on early downs) is the paper-thin depth behind their starting four.

Free agent acquisition Neville Gallimore doesn't move the needle much, and neither does sixth-round pick Jordan van den Berg (although his athleticism and potential are at least intriguing). Paying Dayo Odeyingbo $48 million last offseason was a massive mistake, and he's better off playing on the interior (where his price tag will become even more egregious) than the edge. I'm not giving up hope on 2025 second-round pick Shemar Turner just yet, but his presence also isn't enough to move them out of last place here.

9. Special Teams

Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears placekicker Cairo Santos (8) celebrates with punter Tory Taylor (19) after kicking the extra point for a touchdown scored by wide receiver DJ Moore (not pictured) against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter of an NFC Divisional Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Cairo Santos is a rock-solid kicker who doesn't get enough respect. He might not be able to hit a moon ball from 60 yards like some of the kickers who have come out of college in recent years, but his hit percentage inside 50 yards is also a lot better than most of those guys.

Tory Taylor has been a relative disappointment through his first two seasons, but that has more to do with his draft position than anything else. You'd expect a punter selected in the fourth round to be generational, and Taylor has been merely good thus far.

It'll be interesting to see who wins the long-snapper competition in training camp. The team opted not to bring back Scott Daly in the offseason, and that leaves Luke Elkin and undrafted rookie Beau Gardner, who won college football's Patrick Mannelly Award last season, to battle it out for the starting job. Get your popcorn ready.

8. Wide Receiver

Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) reacts after catching a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter of an NFC Divisional Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Bears' receiver position is no longer a massive strength after they traded away DJ Moore this offseason. However, it would be blatantly inaccurate to say the position is now a weakness. The fact that they already had two promising young pass-catchers in Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III is why they felt comfortable shipping Moore out of town. They have the potential to be one of the league's better duos if they can cut down on the untimely drops.

The depth falls off pretty quickly after the two starters. Kalif Raymond should be better equipped for the gadget role that they attempted to use Olamide Zaccheaus in last season (for the simple fact that he has much more reliable hands, alone). However, he won't move the needle much on this list.

Jahdae Walker came in clutch with some big-time catches down the stretch last season. However, I don't know how much they're willing to count on the 2025 undrafted rookie. They also turned heads with the selection of LSU's Zavion Thomas in the third round. He will definitely be their main returner from the jump, but I think Ben Johnson will be chomping at the bit to scheme up some plays for the speedster (he ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine) on offense, as well.

7. Cornerback

Dec 20, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson (1) runs onto the field during player introductions before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Jaylon Johnson is due for a bounce-back season in 2026. He was one of the league's premier cover men in 2024 and should be able to return to that level of play next season. If Kyler Gordon can stay healthy (a much bigger if than it is for Johnson), the same can be said for him among slot cornerbacks. He's one of the best when he's on the field.

The battle for the starting job opposite Johnson looks destined to be one of the most intriguing battles in training camp. Tyrique Stevenson will get the first crack at the starting job, but his leash will be short. They added University of Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad in the fourth round, and he has the makings of a potential steal.

Terell Smith and Zah Frazier will also have a chance to grab a starting job if they make the most of their limited opportunities. Smith has played pretty well when he's gotten on the field throughout his career, and we're entering the territory where they would still be in pretty good hands if a starter were to go down (largely thanks to the addition of Muhammad).

6. Running Back

Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (4) runs runs after the catch as Green Bay Packers defensive end Kingsley Enagbare (55) defends during the second half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai proved to be one of the league's premier running back tandems last season. Monangai, specifically, was extremely impressive based on the expectations laid out for him before the year began. Virtually nobody expected last year's seventh-round pick to put up nearly 800 yards on the ground and another 160 through the air.

Meanwhile, Swift quietly put up nearly 1400 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns. He's also only 27 years old and should have plenty of tread left on his tires after being underutilized through his first three seasons. This position could become somewhat of a question mark next offseason, as Swift is entering the final year of his deal, but it will once again be an exclamation point in 2026.

5. Linebacker

Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker D'Marco Jackson (48) sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Bears' linebacker position quietly underwent a facelift this offseason. They released Tremaine Edmunds and saved $15 million in the process, and then promptly signed Devin Bush, who is coming off a much better season than Edmunds and is arguably a much better fit for their scheme, to a significantly cheaper deal. They absolutely aced Roster Management 101 with that decision.

They were also smart to bring back D'Marco Jackson on a ho-hum two-year deal. He will be great insurance for TJ Edwards if he isn't healthy to start the season, and should slide in at LB3 behind him and Bush (while also supplanting Edwards on passing downs) if he is.

They also heavily attacked their depth at linebacker this offseason. Jack Sanborn was brought back for dirt cheap, and they also landed another potential steal in the fifth round with the selection of Arizona State's Keyshaun Elliott. They are in a much better position to win the war of attrition at linebacker in 2026, and that's saying a lot with how well their backup 'backers played last season.

4. Safety

Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman carries the ball as the Oregon Ducks practice on Jan. 5, 2025, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon, ahead of the Peach Bowl. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bears' safety position loudly underwent a facelift this offseason. Free agent acquisition Coby Bryant was the big-ticket signing of the offseason. His versatility makes him a much better fit for the type of safety that Dennis Allen has historically preferred to deploy.

They also added to the safety room with the selection of Oregon's Dillon Thieneman in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He brings similar versatility and has unreal range (he ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the combine) for the position.

While Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard III were a great duo last season, there is reason to believe they actually improved the position this offseason. They will be able to switch up their looks and keep offenses on their toes, and should also hold up much better in coverage (which never was one of Brisker's strengths).

3. Offensive Line

Oct 13, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Chicago Bears guard Joe Thuney (62) celebrates while leaving the field after the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Many thought Chicago could target an offensive tackle in the 2026 NFL Draft. We always felt like that wasn't necessary, though. They are returning three high-level starters in Joe Thuney, Darnell Wright, and Jonah Jackson. Those three are locked in through 2027 and should stick around far longer than that.

Drew Dalman's sudden retirement certainly hurts, but they did a good job of adapting to their current situation. They shipped a fifth-round pick off to New England for veteran center Garrett Bradbury and also landed the top center in the class via the second round in Iowa's Logan Jones.

Ryan Poles recently dropped a positive development on Ozzy Trapilo, so I factored him into these rankings. While I still don't know if he'll be back in action for 2026, it's hard not to be excited about what he put on tape in his rookie season. Either Braxton Jones or Jedrick Wills should be able to hold their own at left tackle in the meantime.

Notably, the team has great depth along the offensive line across the board. There was a time not too long ago when there would be buzz around Jordan Meredith to potentially start after how well he held up against the Rams in the Divisional Round. The same can be said about Theo Benedet and potentially even Luke Newman (the offensive line was a GLARING weak spot for years.. Germain Ifedi, anyone?) after the way they played last year, even in limited action (in Newman's case). Not that that's ever where the bar should be set, but the fact remains. On this team, they're nothing more than solid depth.

2. Tight End

Jul 24, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears tight ends Colston Loveland (84) and Cole Kmet (85) stand on the field during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Ben Johnson seems dead set on drafting a tight end early every year. I wouldn't be surprised if he continues doing so every year until they can trot out a TE at all 11 starting spots on offense. Chess, not checkers.

Colston Loveland has already developed into one of the league's most exciting young weapons at the TE position. His future is as bright as the sun. Cole Kmet is also one of the best backup tight ends in the league. He hauled in some of the clutchest grabs of the 2025 season and has clearly earned Caleb Williams' trust.

They also added one of the best blockers (and underrated receiving threats) in this year's class with the 69th pick, when they landed on Stanford's Sam Roush. They Bears are clearly attempting to replicate what Sean McVay does with his TEs in Los Angeles. They should be able to bully opposing defenses in 13 personnel.

1. Quarterback

Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

How could the quarterback position be anything other than number one on this list? After decades of turmoil and QB futility, they appear to have finally hit a home run with Caleb Williams. In fact, he might actually be a grand slam.

Williams developed into one of the NFL's most exciting players last season. While he took his bumps early on, every single game was a highlight reel. Williams has been compared to Patrick Mahomes since his senior year of high school, and he showed why those comparisons are nothing to scoff at last season. There's reason to believe the best is yet to come, too.

Behind Williams, the Bears also have one of the league's best backup QBs in Tyson Bagent. Case Keenum also rounds out the depth chart as their third quarterback. It feels wild to say, but they really boast one of the league's most well-rounded QB rooms.