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Bear Digest

Where the 2026 Chicago Bears Roster Looks Strongest and Weakest

Here is the roster chosen, at least until they tamper with it this week, and here's where the Bears figure to have problems or look to be completely dominant.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams looks for a target in preseason against Cincinnati.
Caleb Williams looks for a target in preseason against Cincinnati. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

Ben Johnson's 53-man Chicago Bears roster could be altered in a few spots in the next few days still, although they may like it just the way it is.

Regardless, it is far from flawless.

The Bears went into the offseason after their playoff loss to the Rams needing to solidify a few spots and hoping above all else to improve team speed.

Their 2026 roster definitely reflects greater speed, just as it does their inability to solve other specific issues. Any chance of fixing those problems in a meaningful way depends on their willingness to part with draft picks and make deals.

The seeds for their failure exist within this roster, just as the potential for success does.

Here's where the 53-man 2026 Bears roster is strongest and where it's weakest.

Strongest

Big-play receiver potential

Not many teams can boast the young, explosive quality the Bears have in about every player who catches Caleb Williams' throws.

The idea behind drafting Zavion Thomas was never more evident than his preseason debut on Saturday. The Bears haters and doubters will point out how he did it against backups. No one says backups have to lack speed. That 4.28-second speed becomes an even greater asset when it's put into an offense with Luther Burden, Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland and D'Andre Swift.

It's called catch and run and if Williams can accurately diagnose the defense and get the ball in a spot where this group can catch it and go, defenses will be chasing all day. Then, while they're chasing these players, the rookie with the 4.28-second speed who runs like Devin Hester and says he's related to Walter Payton can go all the way.

Run-blocking

The two supposed weaker links to their offensive line are tackle Braxton Jones and Garrett Bradbury, are actually stronger run blockers. Before his ankle injury Jones never had a Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade lower than 32nd in the league among tackles. It's a run-blocking scheme more conducive to Bradbury's mobility than when he played in New England, more like he worked in at times at Minnesota. It could take a few games to get it into synch, but any line with Joe Thuney and Darnell Wright has the potential to treat would-be tacklers like bowling pins.
Even the receivers are good run blockers.


Outside running

This also fits for screen passes to backs. Swift can turn on the speed when the wide-zone scheme is in effect. Kyle Monangai might be a hard runner but he's at his best when he is coming straight off the edge of the tackle or cutting it back in with a wide-zone scheme. Both know how to run once they get the screen.

Late-game passing

The Iceman cometh, as Williams showed repeatedly last year.

Weakest

Run-stopping D-tackles

Neville Gallimore and Kentavius Street showed up throughout their careers as solid pass rushers and not run stoppers at all. Grady Jarrett is an aging all-purpose defensive tackle, but is he a fit in a scheme like this that attacks blockers first and then slides off to go for the football?

Then there is Jordan van den Berg, the beast. It's possible he's the real deal but until he's doing it against first-team NFL players no one can really know. This cannot be assumed.

Too often last year opposing offensive lines had the Bears' front pushed back off the ball 2 or 3 yards and made for easy 5-yard to 7-yard gainers. When you don't stop the run, you haven't earned the right to rush the passer.

Preventing big pass plays

Jaylon Johnson locks it down. Beyond that, the Bears' secondary is a big play waiting to happen. Tyrique Stevenson's lack of consistency is maddening and what he does worst is make mistakes leading to big plays. They're counting on rookies at slot cornerback and safety. On top of that, they have Adam Thieneman out of position. He was supposed to play the deeper safety spot and because of Coby Bryant's injury and the lack of an adequate replacement, the rookie is not back deep where he can best use his great speed. Instead, Cam Lewis, an undersized player better suited to slot cornerback is back there.

Early game passing

Until Williams proves otherwise, he has had serious passing issues starting out games. Is he simply not preparing himself properly? It happened throughout last season when he had an 85.27 passer rating for his first 20 passes. This is where his lack of accuracy comes into play most. After the 20th pass attempt, Williams had a 97.37 passer rating last year. Is he past all of this? There is absolutely no way to know this.

Secondary depth

It's already been depleted with the injuries to Kyler Gordon and Coby Bryant. There are real questions about the players backing the players up who are doing the coverage. If Elijah Hicks is up and ready, then there is at least one safety with experience. Clark Phillips doesn't know the scheme. Xavier Woods has experience but was less than average throughout training camp and preseason after being acquired late.

Bears 2026 53-Man Roster

QB (3): Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum

RB (3): D'Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Roschon Johnson. IR: Brittain Brown

WR (5): Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond, Zavion Thomas, Jahdae Walker. IR: Ray-Ray McCloud.

TE (4): Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland, Sam Roush, Hayden Large

OL (10): Ozzy Trapilo, Braxton Jones, Joe Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, Jonah Jackson, Darnell Wright, Logan Jones, Luke Newman, Jordan McFadden, Theo Benedet

DL (10): Jordan van den Berg, Grady Jarrett, Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, Jamree Kromah, Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, Jayden Loving, Daniel Hardy. PUP: Shemar Turner

LB (4): T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush, D'Marco Jackson, Keyshaun Elliott. IR: Tony Fields. PUP: Noah Sewell

DB (11): Jaylon Johnson, Dillon Thieneman, Cam Lewis, Tyrique Stevenson, Malik Muhammad, Xavier Woods, Josh Blackwell, Clark Phillips, Elijah Hicks. Skyler Thomas, Coby Bryant. PUP: Kyler Gordon. IR: Jaylon Jones

Specialists (3): Cairo Santos, Tory Taylor, Beau Gardner

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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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