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The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/Ximbot on 2026-03-20 19:33:02+00:00.
Division: NFC North (1st)
Record: 11-6 (2-4 division)
Playoffs: Yes (W vs Packers in Wild Card, L vs Rams in Divisional)
Introduction
Coming into the 2025 season, the Bears were a mess. Having fired their first coach in season ever after an embarrassing loss to the Lions in front of a national audience on Thanksgiving. The Bears were looking to change the conversation around Chicago. For years, The Bears had always hired the cheapest guy, or someone who was a culture fit. That changed with the hiring of Ben Johnson. He was not only the first play calling head coach that the Bears had ever hired, but he was also the highest paid coach that the Bears had ever hired. Johnson wanted to be here, and it sounded like Caleb wanted him as his first choice as well. The culture immediately began to shift. The Bears went into the draft with a plan. They were going to get Caleb Williams on the right track. Now. Pre-draft they traded for Thuney and Jackson, and signed Drew Dalman to bolster the offensive line. Ryan Poles had been stopped on vacation by a Bears fan earlier that year, and all they wanted to talk about was fixing the O-line. Not something normally brought up by an average NFL fan. The Bears signed two defensive lineman in free agency, hoping that Dayo was on the rise, and they could squeeze the last of the juice out of Grady Jarrett. The first three picks of the draft were offensive players, and Kyle Monangai in the seventh. The RB situation was interesting as almost everyone in the NFL knew that the Bears were after a running back, a la Jahmyr Gibbs, so coming up to almost everyone of the Bears picks, the team just before them picked the best running back available. See: Jeanty, Judkins, Henderson, Sampson, and Taj Brooks. Hopes were high, but tempered as most people had the Bears as an 8-9 to 10-7 team that was going to play meaningful games in December, but would ultimately fall short of the playoffs due to just an insane division. What resulted was a magical season keeping Bears fans on the edge of their seats throughout the year. The Bears fell short of the ultimate goal, but we’ll take beating the Packers in January for now, and see where next year takes us. As for current moment, the core has been established, and the Bears are still a few years away from having to pay Caleb Williams the highest contract they’ve ever given out. While cap space is tight heading into the 2026 season, the arrow points up, and the Bears hope they can continue to defy the odds and odds makers, and keep winning.
Offseason Moves
Departures-
Gerald Everett, DeMarcus Walker, Matt Eberflus, Virginia McCaskey, Keenan Allen, Larry Borom, Teven Jenkins, Marcedes Lewis, Jack Sanborn, Coleman Shelton, Matt Pryor
Additions -
Ben Johnson – Ben Johnson started coaching at BC. Went to the Dolphins, where he met Dan Campbell. Was hired by Matt Patricia with the Lions,and was retained by Campbell. After receiving multiple years of head coaching interest, Johnson chose the Bears over a host of other suitors. The Bears underwent an identity shift in Johnson’s first year, not only culturally within team dynamics but how they were constructed to win. Chicago ranked first in the NFL in turnover margin for the first time since 1985 and allowed the fewest points and fewest yards that season. “His impact on this team has been great,” safety Jaquan Brisker said. “The way he changed the culture, the way he has been a player’s coach – that’s why you see the players go out and play for him every single time you’re willing to die on the field for a coach like that and a staff like this. They’re special guys.” Johnson took over an offense that ranked bottom five in total yards and scoring and turned both into top-9 units. He presided over quarterback Caleb Williams’ development and saw the 24-year-old set the franchise’s single-season passing record at 3,942 yards with a 27-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio that ranked fifth in the league.
Dennis Allen - Allen spent seven seasons as the New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator under Sean Payton and then spent three seasons as the Saints’ head coach after Payton left the organization. He also previously served as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator in 2011 and the head coach of the Raiders from 2012-2014.His experience speaks for itself and having him on the staff gives Johnson someone to bounce ideas off of, which is going to be critical for his growth as a head coach. After previously getting two other head coaching gigs in his career, it’s also unlikely Allen lands another in the future, which means he can remain on Johnson’s staff for the long haul.
Declan Doyle - Chicago reportedly also requested to interview Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork and former Stanford head coach David Shaw for the OC position, but it now appears that Doyle was the top choice all along. Doyle had served as an offensive assistant coach for the Saints from 2019 to 2022 before joining Sean Payton’s staff with the Broncos in 2023. Despite his youth, Doyle is described as “a valued assistant” for Payton, so the Bears got a rising offensive mind and someone to do the film dirty work that Ben Johnson will not have time to do as a head coach.
Richard Hightower – The lone holdover from Eberflus’ staff. Richard Hightower has been in the league a long time. Starting as an assistant on Gary Kubiak’s staff in Houston, he bounced around and was actually the bears special teams coach back in 2016 under John Fox. He came back under Eberflus after the 49ers chose not to retain him after the 2021 season. The Chicago media loves him for his plain and straight forward way of speaking, and the Bears special teams was one of the few bright spots from last season.
Notable Signings
Grady Jarrett – 3 year $42.75 Million, $28.5 Million guaranteed.
Drew Dalman – 3 year $42 Million, $26.5 Million guaranteed.
Dayo Odeyingbo – 3 year $48 Million, $32 Million guaranteed.
Olamide Zaccheaus – 1 year 1.5 Million, 750K guaranteed.
Nahshon Wright – 1 year $1.1 Million.
Notable Extensions -
Kyler Gordon – 3 years $40 Million, $31.25 Million guaranteed.
TJ Edwards – 2 year $20 Million, $16.6 Million guaranteed.
Joe Thuney – 2 year $35 Million, $33.5 Million guaranteed.
Jonah Jackson – 3 year $52.5 Million, $39.75 Million guaranteed.
Josh Blackwell – 2 year $5 Million, $2.45 Million guaranteed.
Tyson Bagent – 2 year $10 Million, $2.53 Million guaranteed.
Draft
Graded as NFL’s Best – NFL.com, PFF
Trade with Bills – 2nd(43), 3rd(72), and a 7th(240) for the Bills 2nd(56), 2nd(62), and 4th(109)
Trade with the Bills – 4th(109) for the Bills 4th(132) and 5th(169)
Trade with the Rams – 5th(148) for the Rams 6th(195) and a 2026 4th Round pick
Draft Profiles courtesy of NFL.com:
1.10 - Colston Loveland – TE – Michigan - Talented young tight end with the athletic ability and ball skills to become an elite talent as a pass catcher. Colston plays the game like a big wideout, capable of separating from man coverage and making plays on all three levels. He has good play speed and runs a route tree full of branches, allowing creative play-callers to move him around as a mismatch option. His routes can be a little hurried and lacking in detail but that should change with coaching. He’s graceful in-air and catches the ball with good timing and strong hands. He will keep filling out his frame but is unlikely to ever become more than average as a blocker. Colston’s collection of athletic traits and catch talent creates a high ceiling with the opportunity to become a high-volume target and future Pro Bowler.
2.39 – Luther Burden III – WR – Missouri – The last of the Bryce Young Trade - Former five-star recruit who offers five-star athleticism and playmaking ability. Burden is a natural on the field with above-average speed and exciting ball skills to win at a high rate. He takes snaps off and short-circuits routes if he’s not the primary option, but he can separate and succeed on all three levels when it’s his time. Missouri exploited Burden’s yards-after-catch talent with a barrage of short throws, but NFL teams are much more likely to diversify his usage, activating his complete skill set and big-play potential. The production against top teams was uneven at times but so was Missouri’s quarterback play. Burden checks several priority boxes that typically foreshadow an impressive NFL career.
2.56 – Ozzy Trapilo – T – Boston College - Tall tackle prospect with NFL bloodlines and a noticeable improvement in play strength last season. The run-blocking tape falls below the protection tape due to leverage and adjustment limitations we frequently see with taller tackles. Trapilo won’t generate much movement in the run game, but good upper-body power helps him neutralize the edge. He operates with sound pass sets, active hands and excellent arm extension. He has a good feel for pocket depth with an ability to ride rushers over the top, but he will get beat by inside counters and speed-to-power rushers at times. Trapilo could operate as a swing tackle early on but his potential in pass protection gives him a good chance to become a starter.
2.62 – Shemar Turner – DT – Texas A&M - Three…
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