The magic of the 2025 season has changed the direction of the Chicago Bears franchise. After finishing at or near the bottom of the NFC North in 11 of the previous 14 seasons, the Bears won the division title with an 11-6-0 record. New head coach Ben Johnson was the driving force, and strong-armed QB Caleb Williams delivered multiple big plays at key moments. The Bears have seemingly turned the team around, and they should be able to build off of what they accomplished last season.
That is not a guarantee. They did have a first-place finish in 2018 and back-to-back .500 seasons followed before they slipped back to the bottom of the division finishes.
As the Bears approach free agency in the offseason, the offense appears to be in a winning position. Williams looks like a quarterback who will be capable of playing at an elite level. He certainly performed in a spectacular manner in the fourth quarter and overtime of multiple games. There is still plenty of room for improvement in terms of accuracy, and Johnson has demonstrated that he is demanding of his quarterback and won’t accept any slippage.
They have a solid running game with D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, along with solid receivers in Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and tight end Colston Loveland. It seems highly possible that veteran wideout D.J. Moore will move on in the offseason, and the same may happen with TE Cole Kmet.
Bears’ defense needs plenty of work
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The Bears’ defense has issues, and this is an area that general manager Ryan Poles has to concern himself with during the upcoming weeks.
The Bears ranked 29th in yards allowed, beating out only the Cowboys, Bengals, and Commanders. They gave up 361.8 yards per game, and that figure is alarming. They were much more proficient in points allowed as opponents scored 24.4 points per game, and that ranked 23rd in the NFL.
The Bears excelled at creating takeaways, as they were the dominant team in the league on the turnover-takeaway table. The Bears took the ball away 33 times and gave it back to their opponents just 11 times. Their plus-22 differential was clearly one of the most important statistical areas of strength for the team. Teams don’t usually dominate in that area for multiple seasons.
The Bears need to improve their pass rush, and Poles needs to make a strong effort to bring Trey Hendrickson into the fold. Hendrickson has been a dominant edge rusher for the Bengals, and there’s an excellent chance he will move on in the offseason.
Hendrickson is arguably the best player who will be on the market on March 11 at the start of free agency. He is coming off an injury-plagued season that saw him play in just seven games for the Bengals. He had a significant hip and pelvis injury that required core surgery.
The defensive end was coming off four consecutive Pro Bowl seasons with the Bengals. He had 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024, leading the NFL in the second of those two seasons.
He also had 46 tackles, 6 passes batted down, 2 forced fumbles, and 19 tackles for loss in ’24. Hendrickson could help the Bears continue their success in 2026.
Bears have cap issues, other defensive needs
It will not simply be a matter of approaching Hendrickson with respect and a huge offer. The Bears are $9.5 million over the salary cap at this point, so Poles is going to have to restructure contracts and cut some players to build a defense that can take the Bears on a huge run next season.
Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen were thrilled to have a defense that was able to take the ball away from opponents last season at a spectacular rate. The Bears had a huge season from safety Kevin Byard, who led the NFL with 7 interceptions last year. Byard is in line for a huge payday, and it seems unlikely that he will get it from the Bears.
He is scheduled to be a free agent shortly, and he is almost assured of receiving multiple offers that are out of Chicago’s reach. He had a cap hit of $8.5 million with the Bears last year, and he could get twice that amount in the foreseeable future.
They will lose their best safety, and they don’t have a lot on the roster at that position. Even if they can sign Hendrickson with some creative work done by Poles, they will also need a veteran safety.
The Bears could look to improve this position in the draft, but safeties are often best served by experience, instincts, and the ability to set up opposing quarterbacks and receivers. Rookies can get the job done, but they need superior skills, confidence, and leadership ability. Veteran safeties are often the most dependable at the position.
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