Even with all the Bears’ momentum, they stayed conservative in the offseason and left the big swings to others.
As the Rams made a seismic deal for Myles Garrett, the Patriots landed a premier wide receiver in A.J. Brown and the Ravens signed Trey Hendrickson after their Maxx Crosby trade fell apart, the Bears sat back in the name of maintaining financial flexibility and draft capital.
They’re planning on improvement coming from within, most notably from quarterback Caleb Williams in Year 3. It’s time for him to step into his own, and if he does, it’ll elevate everyone around him. The Bears also believe Ben Johnson is the type of difference-making coach who will get the absolute maximum out of their roster.
Neither of those is a sure thing. Williams was electric, but needs to get better at the basics. Johnson was a revelation, but he still has just one season on his résumé. With a lot yet to prove, here’s how they and the Bears stack up against the rest of the NFL with training camp a month away:
1. Rams
The Rams often looked like the NFL’s best team last season, though ultimately fell to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. Then they added future Hall of Famer in Garrett.
2. Bills
A controversial call sunk the Bills in the playoffs last season, but they have an elite quarterback in Josh Allen and got him a dangerous weapon in former Bears wide receiver DJ Moore.
3. Seahawks
Oh, right, the defending champs. The Seahawks’ defense was overwhelming last season, but while quarterback Sam Darnold played well, he simply doesn’t measure up to the best in the league.
4. Ravens
No way they stay down. Look for the Ravens to be reinvigorated by adding Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowl defensive end, and former Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle as they reassert themselves.
5. Chiefs
They’re one of the toughest teams to predict this season, but the possibility of Patrick Mahomes coming back strong is scary. That said, they were 6-8 before he got hurt last season.
6. Broncos
The Broncos had a championship-level defense last season and still have one of the game’s best coaches in Super Bowl winner Sean Payton, who signed a five-year extension this month.
7. Patriots
The Patriots are in some disarray despite having gone to the Super Bowl. It’ll be hard to manage the mess around Mike Vrabel, hard to keep Drake Maye from regressing and hard to fend off the Bills.
8. 49ers
The 49ers were top eight in total offense and defense for four consecutive seasons before sliding last season. They’re stacked with talent on the field and in the coaching staff.
9. Bears
Everything rides on Williams for the Bears. They had a net loss in talent over the offseason, but he has the potential to make up for that and then some.
10. Eagles
The Eagles are 50-18 over the last four seasons and aren’t going anywhere. They allowed the fifth-fewest points in the NFL last season, so if they get their offense on track, they’ll be a contender.
11. Chargers
The Chargers are never as good as it seems like they should be. They had a top-five defense last season and have a talented quarterback in Justin Herbert. Figure it out.
12. Lions
Lions coach Dan Campbell graded himself “a freaking F” for going 9-8 and narrowly missing the playoffs last season. He’ll be on a rampage to retake the NFC North.
13. Packers
There’s nothing better than having the NFL’s most storied rivalry matter nationally again. The Bears and Packers are on relatively equal footing now and will battle for control of the NFC North all season.
14. Bengals
The Bengals have finished third or fourth in their division the last three seasons, but there’s always a shot with quarterback Joe Burrow. They just need him to stay healthy.
15. Texans
The defense has been surging under coach DeMeco Ryans and was No. 1 in the NFL last season. But quarterback C.J. Stroud has struggled since winning Rookie of the Year in 2023.
16. Jaguars
The Jaguars are going into Year 6 of waiting for Trevor Lawrence to save them. He’s been good, but rarely great, and that’s not enough to make this team a title threat.
17. Cowboys
The Cowboys actually have the same championship odds as the Bears at 25-to-1, but those two teams don’t seem to be headed the same direction after the Cowboys went 7-9-1 last season.
18. Commanders
What happened to the Commanders? They went from the story of the league in 2024 and went to the NFC title game as Jayden Daniels flourished, then lost 11 of 13 to end last season.
19. Colts
Quarterback Daniel Jones had the season of his life before tearing his Achilles, and the Colts bet big that it was real progress by signing him to a two-year, $88 million contract extension.
20. Panthers
The Panthers were a playoff team last season, but only by default. They won the NFC South at 8-9 while finishing near the bottom of the league offensively and middle of the pack on defense.
21. Buccaneers
This franchise has been stuck in a rut of being good, but not great since Tom Brady retired. They need upgrades at coach and quarterback, but seem to be content.
22. Steelers
The Steelers’ options at quarterback were so bleak that they begged Aaron Rodgers to come back for his 22nd season despite his obvious limitations. He hasn’t been an elite quarterback since 2021.
23. Giants
Hiring coach John Harbaugh gave the Giants instant credibility, but they have a long way to go in developing quarterback Jaxson Dart. That job falls to new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.
24. Vikings
If anyone can bring the best out of new quarterback Kyler Murray, it’s coach Kevin O’Connell. If Murray is decent, the Vikings will climb into the playoff race.
25. Saints
The Saints’ salary-cap situation and roster flaws were always going to take multiple years to fix, though they could accelerate that timeline if quarterback Tyler Shough and coach Kellen Moore continue to show potential.
26. Titans
The Titans aren’t ready to be competitive yet, but that would change if quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick last year, catches fire in his second season.
27. Falcons
Even if the Falcons get a little bit better offensively with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, they were mediocre defensively last season. The upside: their division is the NFL’s weakest.
28. Raiders
The Raiders might be improving — slowly. They shelled out more than $300 million in contracts to free agents, hired a coveted coach in Klint Kubiak and landed a potential star in No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.
29. Dolphins
The Dolphins have a stopgap quarterback in Malik Willis, but he’s unlikely to be their long-term answer. What they really need is high pick in the 2027 draft.
30. Browns
New coach Todd Monken and flawed quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are just keeping seats warm until the next reboot. Garrett was the only reason to watch this team.
31. Jets
The Jets have had a shocking 10 consecutive losing seasons even though they’ve drafted in the top 10 seven times during that span. No doubt their streak continues this season.
32. Cardinals
Who’s the coach? Who’s the quarterback? Most people probably have no idea. There’s little talent left on the Cardinals and, worse yet, there’s not much of a plan to restock other than tanking.