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Top 26 Chicago Bears of 2026: T.J. Edwards' Leadership More Valuable Than Ever

With so much personnel change this season, the return of linebacker T.J. Edwards from a broken leg promises to be a huge plus for a group needing improvement.
Gene Chamberlain|
T.J. Edwards (53) celebrates a big pass breakup with former Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
T.J. Edwards (53) celebrates a big pass breakup with former Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

There's no doubt getting T. J. Edwards back healthy after he suffered through injuries in the 2025 season will impact the Bears defense.

It can help where they were most vulnerable, and it's the major reason Edwards has been named 15th overall among the top 26 Chicago Bears for the 2026 season.

They averaged 7.4 fewer yards rushing allowed when he played in eight games last year while healthy or nursing a hamstring injury than in games when he sat out entirely with the hamstring, or finally for the season with the fractured fibula suffered against the Packers in the wild-card round. Another key injury with Edwards not talked about much was his broken hand that required surgery. This couldn't have helped his effectiveness as a tackler as he tried to come back with a soft cast on it.

The rushing yardage allowed without Edwards was a significant amount, and means the difference of five or six spots in the league rushing standings. Still, the Bears allowed 127.1 rushing yards a game with him. It's not a number any NFL defense wants to hang its hat on for a season. They wouldn't even have been in the top half of the league with that for an average last season.

Leadership matters on defense

Having Edwards back to team with free agent acquisition Devin Bush makes them better overall because the veteran is one of their leaders, as the only player ever to win the Brian Piccolo Award three straight years. He's playing on a defense that lost leaders like Tremaine Edmunds, Kevin Byard, and Jaquan Brisker, and can use the guiding hand.

More than that, the Chicago native has been one of the surest tacklers they've had over the last three years.

Now in his eighth season, Edwards averages only 6.3% missed tackles for his career and the last two years was at 3.7% and 5.6%. per Pro Football Reference. Perhaps his biggest impact play came in the regular season against Green Bay in overtime as the Packers approached field goal range. Edwards hauled in Jordan Love in the open field to prevent a first down and force the Packers into a fumbled fourth-down attempt that failed.

What job competion means

There will be plenty of competition for Edwards in camp, though. Bringing back D'Marco Jackson, signing former Bear Jack Sanborn and drafting Keyshaun Elliott helps depth. They still have Ruben Hyppolite II, who disappointed as a rookie.

The doubters look at the injury, Edwards' age and the competition, then pair that with the $10.8 million cap hit or the $8.5 million they would save by trading him, and see the veteran linebacker as a player who could be dealt before trade deadline.

This idea is a bit unrealistic since the leadership Edwards provides is invaluable, especially with this lineup in coordinator Dennis Allen's defense.

Considering all the new players added to the defensive mix like safeties Coby Bryant and Dillon Thieneman besides Bush, a steady, veteran hand is necessary.

"I feel like there's always been said. "I've been doubted my entire career and that's just fine with me. I feel like I thrive in that light to be honest with you. That's how it was my firdoubt," Edwards st couple years in the league. Then sustaining that is what I strive for. There's always going to be (doubt), getting older, that type thing."

Because of the way Edwards can lead and bind the group together, and his ability to wrap up ball carriers, his return is vital to the improvement the Bears' defense needs to make in Year 2 under Allen.

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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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