Caleb Williams and the Chicago
Bears want more after surprising playoff run last season
[September 03, 2026]
By JAY COHEN
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.
[to top of second column] |
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, center, greets players
during warm ups before a preseason NFL football game against the
Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP
Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
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.
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