As the Bears continue to shape a roster built for Ben Johnson and his coaching staff, who do we have making the squad for 2026?
Quarterback (3)
Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum
Keeping three quarterbacks is something the Bears believe in under Ben Johnson, so veteran Case Keenum will remain as the No. 3 quarterback behind Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent. I never bought into trade talks about Bagent considering the rumored compensation, but maybe something could happen there if undrafted rookie Miller Moss shows well this summer.
Running back (3)
D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Brittain Brown
Chicago has a very good one-two punch with D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai in the backfield, so the question here is whether one or two running backs will be kept behind them. Brittain Brown—who ripped off a 22-yard touchdown run on one of his lone touches last year—will be competing with Roschon Johnson and Salvon Ahmed for the No. 3 role, and I like the former UCLA standout to make it.
Wide receiver (6)
Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, Kalif Raymond, Xavion Thomas (R), Jahdae Walker, Scotty Miller
The Bears will keep their options open with competition throughout the roster, but wide receiver has a clear top five, and Scotty Miller should have the inside track if they keep six wideouts. If this is the group, Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze are the obvious headliners, Kalif Raymond and third-rounder Zavion Thomas are similar players battling for the No. 3 role, Jahdae Walker flashed as a rookie, and Miller has made plays when called upon in his career—including catching passes from both Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
Tight end (3)
Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Sam Roush (R)
The Bears will have a heavy emphasis on 12 and 13 personnel, which was a big reason they targeted Sam Roush in the third round. Look for the rookie out of Stanford to play alongside Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet this year, and he’ll likely be the long-term complement to Loveland at tight end.
Offensive tackle (4)
Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, Jedrick Wills Jr., Theo Benedet
Left tackle has remained the weakness for Chicago, and Ozzy Trapilo could miss the entire season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in the playoff win over the Packers. Braxton Jones is the favorite to start on the blindside right now, but Jedrick Wills Jr. is back in the NFL after a year away to rehab a knee injury of his own, so the former No. 10 overall pick will try to get his career back on track with the Bears. Theo Benedet will also make a case for the starting job after eight starts in 2025.
Guard (4)
Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, Kiran Amegadjie, Luke Newman
The high-profile name to watch (in terms of draft pedigree as the No. 75 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft) is Kiran Amegadjie, and after transitioning to guard, he likely needs to show well in training camp to secure a roster spot. His competition will be Luke Newman and Jordan McFadden, and there is a chance the Bears only keep three guards on the 53-man roster since they’re set with Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson as the starters.
Center (2)
Garrett Bradbury, Logan Jones (R)
A trade is the thing to watch here, as second-round pick Logan Jones showing he’s ready to start could make Garrett Bradbury a prime target for center-needy teams. If that were to happen, undrafted rookie Jaren Kump would go from longshot to being on the roster barring another center being added behind Jones.
Interior defensive line (5)
Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, Jordan van den Berg (R)
Chicago added more penetrators this offseason to fit the style of interior defender that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants, and Neville Gallimore is the one I’d be most excited about behind Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter Sr. The final spot will be determined by how quickly sixth-round pick Jordan van den Berg comes along, as James Lynch could be pushed out—depending on the numbers—despite signing with the Bears this offseason.
Edge defender (5)
Montez Sweat, Austin Hooker, Dayo Odeyingbo, Shemar Turner, Daniel Hardy
Just as Chicago has been searching for an answer at left tackle during the Ryan Poles era, they’ve also struggled to get an impact pass rusher on the edge. Montez Sweat is locked in as a starter, and maybe Austin Booker can breakout in Year 3, Dayo Odeyingbo can somehow return to his 2023 form with the Colts, or 2025 second-rounder Shemar Turner can step up. Daniel Hardy should stick around again as a key player on special teams.
Linebacker (6)
T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush, D’Marco Jackson, Keyshawn Elliott (R), Ruben Hyppolite II, Noah Sewell
Devin Bush earned a three-year, $30 million deal coming off his best career season as a starter with the Browns, and he’ll slide in next to T.J. Edwards with D’Marco Jackson also vying for snaps. The competition should be fierce for the backup roles, but Ruben Hyppolite II was taken in the fourth round last year, Keyshaun Elliott was a fifth-rounder this year, and Noah Sewell started nine games in 2025—so Jack Sanborn might be behind them as he returns to Chicago after one season in Dallas.
Cornerback (5)
Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, Malik Muhammed (R), Terell Smith
The Bears didn’t remake the cornerback room like I thought they were going to following the first season under Dennis Allen, but they’re relying on Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon to stay on the field after they combined to play just 10 games last year. Fourth-round rookie Malik Muhammed is the feisty style of cornerback that Allen likes, so he could beat out Tyrique Stevenson for a starting job. And for the final one or two spots, there is no shortage of options with Terell Smith, Josh Blackwell, Jaylon Jones, and Dallis Flowers.
Safety (4)
Coby Bryant, Dillon Thieneman (R), Cam Lewis, Elijah Hicks
Chicago did change things up at safety, as Coby Bryant was signed to a three-year, $40 million deal fresh off a Super Bowl victory with the Seahawks, and he’ll be paired with first-round pick Dillon Thieneman on the backend. Cam Lewis will be the third safety after six years in Buffalo that saw him get more involved defensively over the past couple of seasons, and Elijah Hicks will battle Gervarrius Owens for the other backup spot.
Special teams (3)
Cairo Santos, Tory Taylor, Luke Elkin
Kicker Cairo Santos and long snapper Luke Elkin are facing competition from undrafted rookies Gabriel Plascencia and Beau Gardner, respectively, but I would lean towards the incumbents being safe. Santos in particular shouldn’t be in much danger with 23 makes in 28 attempts on field goals of 50+ yards over the past four seasons.
Injured (1)
OT Ozzy Trapilo