Windy City Gridiron
The conclusion of the NFL’s offseason programs around the league is here, which means that for the first time this calendar year, a six-week “dead period” is upon us before the start of training camp. While some choose to take a step back from football talk, others use this time as a chance at a retrospective of the offseason that has been. That’s exactly what we plan to do here, as we take a deeper dive into each NFC North team’s most (and least) improved position as we inch closer to training camp next month.
By all accounts, 2025 was the dream season that the Bears and their fans have been longing for since the departure of Lovie Smith in 2011. While there have been a few playoff appearances since that time, it took 15 seasons to break their playoff win drought. While nobody expected the Bears to come into last season, win the division, and come a play (or two away) from an NFC Championship Game appearance, the hunter will now become the hunted in 2026.
While the arrow should still be pointing up for a young group that “arrived a year early”, it’s fair to wonder if the Bears did enough this offseason to warrant higher expectations heading into this season.
Most Improved Position: Safety
Some might look at this and wonder how a position that just lost an All-Pro could be considered an upgrade, but hear me out. Yes, Kevin Byard was awesome last year, but that was the first time since 2022 that he’s recorded four or more interceptions. While interceptions aren’t everything, the soon-to-be 33-year-old is on the back end of his career, and the free agent market reflected that with a one-year, $7 million deal (with incentives up to $9 million). Heading into March, none of the Bears’ four rostered safeties from 2025 were under contract. They spent big resources on Coby Bryant (three years, $40 million) and the No. 25 overall pick on Dillon Thieneman. In addition, they re-signed Elijah Hicks to a one-year deal and grabbed Cam Lewis from the Bills as another reliable depth piece who can also play the nickel. Replacing both starting spots and the No. 3 safety on the depth chart is a tall task, but at least on paper, Chicago did an admirable job of upgrading that room, both in the short and long-term.
Most Significant Remaining Need: Edge Rusher
At this point, it seems obvious, no? For what feels like the fifth straight season, edge rusher is the Bears’ biggest remaining need as we inch closer to the start of the regular season. Last offseason, they spent mid-tier money on Dayo Odeyingbo, and he rewarded them with one sack and overall poor production before going down in Week 9 with a torn Achilles. While the injury was clearly not his fault, nothing about his production in eight games last year should give the organization confidence that he’s a long-term answer moving forward. Montez...
