Windy City Gridiron
The 2025 season became the first time in NFL history that all four teams in the same division finished with a winning record, which, of course, was the NFC North. Despite another competitive season from start to finish in one of the deepest divisions in football, the Chicago Bears found a way to become one of the two teams in the NFL to go from worst-to-first over the course of one season.
While the offseason might not have made headlines for any of the four teams in the division, one could argue that the moves made have created the most competitive situation we’ve seen in quite some time. Although the offseason is always played out on paper, the results can produce a different reality. Since we’re still three months away from the kickoff of the 2026 NFL regular season, we’ll take a deeper dive into each of the NFC North’s offseasons and which direction they are trending heading into the new season in our new installment of Stock Up, Stock Down.
Following a disastrous 2024 campaign, last season was a breath of fresh air for Bears fans everywhere. Not only did they land the most sought-after head coaching candidate, but they turned around an (0-2) start into an 11-6 regular season and their first NFC North title in seven years. The core of their roster is young, but the front office did a nice job of insulating that group with a host of proven veterans who helped them take things to the next level. 2025 felt like a year of cleansing in many ways, and although many saw it as a “year too early” arrival, expectations will be drastically different heading into the upcoming season.
Key Moves
S Coby Bryant LB Devin Bush
S Dillon Thieneman (1st Round) C Garrett Bradbury
C Logan Jones (2nd Round) DT Neville Gallimore
WR Kalif Raymond TE Sam Roush (3rd Round)
For the first time since the rebuild started during the 2022 offseason, it’s easier to classify their approach this offseason as “business as usual” rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. While that might have led to a more “boring” approach on paper, it could also be taken as a sign that flipping 50-60% of their roster is a thing of the past. Continuity is always a focus for contending teams, and that’s exactly how Chicago chose to approach things during the acquisition period. They did make a few bigger moves, including Bryant and Bush, but the front office leaned on the draft and the hope of development from their current young core of players, who experienced an impressive 2025 campaign. Any time a borderline contender like the Bears fails to make a big splash, there will always be questions about their approach, but it’s clear that the organization feels like the key pieces are in place to take the next step.
Notable Losses
WR DJ Moore C Drew Dalman (Retirement)
S Kevin Byard LB Tremaine Edmunds
S Jaquan Brisker...
