RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesLAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS - JULY 29: Kyle Monangai #25 of the Chicago Bears runs drills during Chicago Bears Training Camp at Halas Hall on July 29, 2026 in Lake Forest, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With training camps opening this week, it means its time for a fresh set of preseason power rankings!
The Chicago Bears held their first camp practice today for a season with expectations following a fantastic 2025 campaign.
So where do the expectations align with the power rankings?
I know it and you don’t have to say it, no one cares about power rankings. Or they’re wrong. Or they’re based on offseason moves.
You clicked on the article all the same and are scrolling by this very paragraph to skim where the Bears are and then leave a comment on one of the above topics.
On to the rankings.
Yahoo Sports | Staff
11. Chicago Bears – Caleb Williams is going to be better in Year 3, and while plenty of rookie head coaches have one big season and fade, Ben Johnson looks like a great hire. Still, those regression factors are real and numerous. Also, the defense is a major question mark. There will be some pullback. Yet, Chicago still has a good shot at a playoff berth and keeping their momentum going beyond this season, even if it doesn’t come with a second straight division title.
Fox Sports | Ralph Vacchiano
8. Chicago Bears Their dangerous offense is only going to get better in Year 2 of the Ben Johnson era. Their only question is whether they did enough to fix their defense. The jury on that is still out.
The Athletic | Josh Kendall
12. Chicago Bears
Last season: 11-6
Last ranking: 6
What’s new? Caleb Williams’ workload
After a breakout 2025, Chicago’s most notable offseason move was trading D.J. Moore to Buffalo for a draft pick. Coach Ben Johnson is betting on himself and his young quarterback to carry on the momentum, and Williams still has room to grow. He finished 13th last year in EPA/dropback (0.08), 32nd in completion percentage (58.1) and 32nd in off-target rate (14.6 percent).
Pro-Football Network | Jacob Infante (I know him!)
7. Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears entered the draft more or less finding themselves in the same spot they were in going into free agency. They lost a few key starters, but the additions like Coby Bryant, Devin Bush, and Garrett Bradbury are projected as new faces in the lineup. They retained the whole of their young, talented core on offense, as well. Safety Dillon Thieneman was one of the biggest steals of the first round in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The big concern with the Bears is that their subpar defensive line looks pretty much the same as last year’s unit. With the roster sitting at dead even in 2026, their hopes for improvement rest heavily on development from their young offensive stars and better health in the secondary. Expect Chicago to make the playoffs again this coming year, but they might be a year away from having a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
Bleacher Report | Brent Sobleski
10. Chicago Bears The Bears will lean more on expected natural improvement than anything else this fall. Whether the franchise’s choice to do so is a smart approach remains to be seen.
Specifically, expectations for quarterback Caleb Williams, wide receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland are expected to be much higher in 2026 after an overtime loss that prevented the Bears from reaching the NFC Championship Game.
However, Chicago didn’t make significant improvements to the roster. DJ Moore, Tremaine Edmunds, Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker are gone. Left tackle wasn’t upgraded, and the front office somehow didn’t add to the team’s pass rush, which was arguably the squad’s biggest need heading into the offseason.
The Bears better hope their young players show marked improvement. Otherwise, Chicago will be a prime regression candidate.
A lot of trepidation, specifically about the defense, with a lot of excitement about the quarterback and head coach. It’s an honest assessment of the team at the moment. We still have a few weeks before we see how it shakes out.
What do you think of the rankings?
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