The Chicago Bears finished the 2025 play arsenic the No. 2 effect successful the NFC, winning 11 games connected the mode to a part title.
Under first-year manager Ben Johnson, the Bears' discourtesy exploded with a tally crippled that gashed opposing defenses and a passing onslaught built connected hunting chunk plays. A revamped violative enactment combined with Johnson's strategy helped backmost Caleb Williams marque monolithic strides successful his 2nd season.
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Chicago's defence led the NFL with 33 takeaways, which masked immoderate of the flaws that were evident successful antiaircraft coordinator Dennis Allen's unit. The Bears besides mislaid galore of the contributors connected defence successful escaped bureau who accounted for 23 full takeaways.
The Bears' squad that finished past play has changed for amended successful immoderate areas and worse successful others. But wherever does the Bears' starting lineups stack up to the remainder of the teams successful the NFL?
ESPN ranked each roster, assessing each team's starting lineup, strengths and weaknesses, X factors and a nonstarter. With each those factors considered, the Bears finished astatine No. 17.
That ranking seems debased for a squad that took the Los Angeles Rams into overtime earlier losing connected a game-winning tract extremity successful the Divisional Round of the playoffs. But it's besides fair.
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Look astatine the 16 teams ranked up of Chicago. Which of those starting lineups tin you honestly accidental the Bears are amended than?
(You tin cheque retired the full database of teams here.)
The 1 squad that is ranked excessively precocious is the New England Patriots astatine No. 7. Their starting lineup is not 10 slots amended than the Bears.
Although the Patriots person added wide receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs and antiaircraft linemen Harold Landry III and Dre'Mont Jones, determination is not overmuch prima powerfulness connected the roster.
New England had conscionable 2 Pro Bowlers successful Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez and 2 second-team All-Pros successful Maye and cornerback/punt returner Marcus Jones past season. The Bears had 2 first-team All-Pros successful Joe Thuney and Kevin Byard III, who is present successful New England. Darnell Wright was named a second-team All-Pro astatine close tackle.
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Johnson's squad besides finished with 4 Pro Bowlers: Byard, Thuney, Nahshon Wright and Drew Dalman, who retired this offseason.
Of the apical 17 rosters successful the NFL, lone 2 person borderline rusher labeled arsenic their biggest weakness: the Bears and the Patriots. But New England really addressed their flaw by adding players to the D-line. The Bears chose to basal pat, which is wherefore the Bears autumn abbreviated compared to each different squad successful the league.
The Bears person bully players astatine important positions. Caleb Williams is an ascending quarterback. D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai are productive moving backs successful Johnson's scheme. ESPN recognized the Bears' O-line arsenic the team's strength, but an statement could beryllium made for the choky extremity presumption with Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet and Sam Roush. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III are young receivers who tin easy go a deadly duo successful 2026.
Chicago's safeties, featuring Coby Bryant and first-round draught prime Dillon Thieneman, supply a promising backend for the defense. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon person a precocious accidental for a bounce backmost season, if the portion tin enactment healthy.
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Devin Bush adds velocity to the linebacker presumption and should compliment T.J. Edwards.
It's the antiaircraft enactment that remains the biggest question people and is apt the main crushed Chicago's starting lineup isn't ranked higher connected ESPN's list. It goes without saying that a squad needs talented players to triumph a Super Bowl, but that isn't everything.
Football is the eventual squad game, requiring a blend of coaching and execution to scope that eventual goal. The Bears tin beryllium immoderate summertime database incorrect by simply winning games similar they did past season.
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