(AP) – CHICAGO BEARS (12-7)
Expectations
Ben Johnson established high standards for Chicago shortly after he was hired as coach in January 2025. Coming off the organization’s first NFC North title since 2018, he is looking for even more in his second season with the Bears. One of the biggest reasons for optimism is Johnson’s relationship with Caleb Williams going into the quarterback’s third year in the NFL. With Johnson calling the plays, Williams passed for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. Led by the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, Chicago posted an NFL-record seven wins when trailing in last two minutes of regulation, including a thriller against Green Bay in the wild-card round. It’s hard to imagine the Bears duplicating that late-game success this time around, especially against a first-place schedule. But they might not be in that position as much, either, not with Williams’ increased familiarity with Johnson’s offense and his array of potential playmakers. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden are back at wide receiver, and Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet form one of the NFL’s best tandems at tight end.
New faces
S Coby Bryant, OL Garrett Bradbury, LB Devin Bush, WR Kalif Raymond, DB Cam Lewis, DL Kentavius Street, DL Neville Gallimore, S Dillon Thieneman, C Logan Jones, TE Sam Roush, WR Zavion Thomas, CB Malik Muhammad, LB Keyshaun Elliott, DT Jordan van den Berg.
Key losses
C Drew Dalman, S Kevin Byard, WR DJ Moore, S Jaquan Brisker, LB Tremaine Edmunds, DB Nahshon Wright, WR Devin Duvernay, WR Olamide Zaccheaus, S Jonathan Owens, TE Durham Smythe.
Strengths
Look for Johnson to make the most of Chicago’s impressive group of tight ends. The 6-foot-6 Loveland got off to a slow start in his rookie year after he was the No. 10 overall selection in the draft. But he was terrific at the end of the season, finishing with 58 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns. The 27-year-old Kmet is going into his seventh year in the NFL. He combined with Williams on one of Chicago’s most memorable plays last season, hauling in a dramatic 14-yard TD reception in a 20-17 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs. Roush joins the mix after he was taken by the Bears in the third round of this year’s draft out of Stanford.
Weaknesses
The secondary and defensive line are major concerns. Bryant, who signed a $40 million, three-year contract with Chicago in free agency, could miss the entire season after he hurt his left knee during training camp. Cornerback Kyler Gordon is out with a calf issue after he was hampered by groin and hamstring injuries last season. Thieneman steps in at strong safety after he was the No. 25 pick in the draft, but he is likely headed for some growing pains as a rookie. The Bears had trouble rushing the passer last year, finishing with 35 sacks, and they made no major additions to their defensive line in the offseason. Shemar Turner, a second-round pick in the 2025 draft, could provide a lift at some point with a successful comeback from a torn ACL.
Camp development
The Bears liked van den Berg when they drafted the 310-pound defensive tackle in the sixth round in April, and they like him even more now. Van den Berg, 24, showed off a promising mix of power and athleticism during training camp. “He’s a beast,” Johnson said. “This guy, he’s an incredible athlete, and he’s still learning the game of football to a degree, and yet it’s amazing what he brings to the table. He’s been the same guy every single day, smile on his face. He loves football. He loves the process.”
Fantasy player to watch
D’Andre Swift rushed for a career-high 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns last season. He also caught 34 passes for 299 yards and a TD. The 27-year-old Swift looked good in training camp while Kyle Monangai was sidelined by a leg injury. Swift is the lead back, but he likely takes on a more significant role if Monangai is slowed at the start of the season. Barring an extension, Swift also is going into the final year of his contract with Chicago.
___
