The Chicago Bears’ defense did not exactly cover itself in glory against the run last season, and that’s the first place the Carolina Panthers are likely to test it in Week 1.
Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron pointed to a unit that finished 27th in rushing yards allowed per game and 29th in yards per attempt at 5.0 in 2025. He said the Bears were better against the run in the playoffs, but even then the Packers and Rams found success at times.
Personnel-wise, he doesn’t see a dramatic overhaul. Chicago traded Gervon Dexter, whom Zimmerman described as a weaker run defender, for secondary help and a draft pick, and replaced Andrew Billings with Neville Gallimore, who he also views as a downgrade against the run.
TJ Edwards returns as a solid run defender, but Tremaine Edmunds is gone and Devin Bush is in, leaving questions about how Bush fits Dennis Allen’s scheme.
Zimmerman did say the defense is faster now, and that speed could help Chicago swarm the ball more quickly than it did a year ago. Even so, he expects the Panthers to find room, with Montez Sweat the one Bears front-seven piece he singled out as a strong run defender.
If Carolina wants to throw the ball, though, it may run straight into the one clear anchor of this Bears defense: Jaylon Johnson. Zimmerman called Johnson the strength of the secondary and said he has looked close to his All-Pro form in camp after playing hurt and struggling last season.
The rest of the group is a different story. Kyler Gordon is on IR and won’t play.
Coby Bryant, brought in to replace Kevin Byard, is also on IR. That leaves Cam Lewis and Tyrique Stevenson alongside Johnson, with Stevenson’s playmaking ability tempered by the kind of lapses that can lead to big plays.
At safety, Zimmerman called Xavier Woods decent and said first-round pick Dillon Thieneman will be expected to develop quickly. His broader view was blunt: the Bears’ secondary is weaker than the team expected back in May.
Chicago’s offense, meanwhile, drew a much more optimistic review. Zimmerman said the Bears are going to lean heavily on 12 and 13 personnel and expects Ben Johnson’s passing game to be “poetry in motion.”
He also highlighted rookie tight end Sam Roush, a second-round pick who has impressed enough in camp to look like he belongs. Cole Kmet, in Zimmerman’s words, has become a Swiss Army Knife for the offense, while Colston Loveland’s second half last year was “awesome,” with plenty of hype following him into this season.
That tight end talent could matter against a Panthers defense that has had trouble limiting production there in the past. Zimmerman’s answer to the idea of Loveland or Kmet being unavailable was pure humor: “Now that’s a great question, haha.” But he made clear he thinks Carolina’s first assignment is a major one.
The biggest reason for optimism in Chicago is Caleb Williams. Zimmerman said Williams made major strides over the course of 2025, especially once he got more comfortable with Ben Johnson and the offense.
He went from being the most-sacked quarterback at a near-record pace in 2024 to one of the least-sacked quarterbacks in 2025, and Zimmerman stressed that the growth was obvious from September to January. He also believes Williams should be even better now that he is not learning the offense from scratch this spring.
One area the Bears still want to clean up is the scramble drill. Zimmerman said it has been a focus in practice and could unlock even more of Williams’ ability to create on the move.
He also downplayed the concern some people have about Williams’ time to throw and completion percentage, saying he is unlikely to ever be a 68% passer but could settle in around 64%, which would work fine given how low he keeps his turnovers. His time to throw, Zimmerman added, will always be high because of the way he tries to create, but the key is whether defenders can actually finish the play when Williams gets outside the pocket.
Zimmerman likes Chicago in the opener, and he sees points on both sides. His pick: Bears 34, Panthers 24.
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