The Bears are heading into 2026 with the kind of expectations that leave very little room for passengers. Chicago thinks it has a Super Bowl-caliber roster, and that changes the pressure on the players who have to prove they belong in the plan.
Six names stand out as the ones with the most on the line.
Dayo Odeyingbo is first on that list at EDGE. He opened his Bears stint with one sack in eight games before an injury ended the rest of his season, and that kind of debut does not buy much patience.
The pass rush has to be more than just pressure this year. Odeyingbo needs production, because if the sacks still don’t come, Chicago could start treating him like a trade piece in 2026.
Braxton Jones is in a different kind of squeeze at left tackle. His 2026 season matters not just for the Bears, but for his NFL future as a whole.
If he gets off to a strong start, he could still find a job somewhere else in the offseason. If he doesn’t show real improvement over 2025, he risks settling into backup territory.
At linebacker, T.J. Edwards is facing a major prove-it year too.
His contract was not team-friendly enough for the Bears to move on from him during the offseason with Tremaine Edmunds, so now the expectation is clear: he has to play the best football of his career. Edwards racks up tackles, but that hasn’t always translated into winning results on the field, and if that doesn’t change, Chicago could let him walk.
Tyrique Stevenson’s last two seasons have been rough enough to put his future in question. The Hail Mary touchdown he allowed in 2024 still hangs over him, and he was benched by the end of last season. He needs a huge 2026, whether that means keeping his starting role in Chicago or trying to start fresh somewhere else.
Grady Jarrett also enters the season with a lot riding on him at defensive tackle. With Gervon Dexter St. no longer there to cover for him, the Bears need Jarrett to answer the bell.
He struggled badly last year, even if his leadership still matters to the defense. If the line goes sideways, Chicago could make major changes up front.
And then there’s Johnson, who won the preseason battle and beat out Salvon Ahmed for the RB3 job. That only gets him so far.
The Bears need more from him on the ground so they don’t end up leaning entirely on D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. If Johnson’s season again amounts to just two carries, his NFL future will be hanging in the balance.
In Other News...
Bears Suddenly Have A WR Problem After Moving On From DJ Moore
The Bears moved on from DJ Moore with a clear plan to restock the offense through the draft, turning his departure into a bet on youth and depth. Chicago used the picks it got back from Buffalo to select Sam Roush and Keyshaun Elliott, while also leaning on Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III to help carry the receiving load in the post-Moore picture.
Now the early stages of training camp have put that plan under a little more pressure. Odunze has dealt with ongoing injury issues, and for a receiver room that was supposed to help make the Moore trade look like a forward-thinking move, every missed practice matters. The Bears still have time to sort it out, but the margin for error at wideout is suddenly thinner than it looked when they dealt their most established target away. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Week 1 Depth Chart Raises Early Questions Before Carolina
The Bears have put out their first official depth chart of the season, and as expected it offers an early snapshot of how the roster is lining up for the opener against Carolina. It sorts out starters and backups across every position, while also reflecting the injury situations and planned roles the team is juggling as it gets ready for Week 1.
For a club trying to settle into a rhythm right away, the chart is less about final answers than about where the questions still are. Chicago expects most of its key players to be available, but the way the staff has organized the lineup suggests there are still a few spots worth watching as the Bears head into their matchup with the Panthers. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Week 1 Injury Report Leaves Key Offensive Spots Unsettled
The Bears opened their 2026 regular season week with an injury report that already has a few important offensive spots in flux before they line up against the Panthers. Rome Odunze showed up as limited in practice with a calf injury, while Tyson Bagent and left tackle Ozzy Trapilo were also listed among the teams players working through injury issues as Chicago began sorting out availability for Sunday.
Odunze is expected to play if his condition improves, but the bigger concern for Chicago may be how much uncertainty remains around the other two spots. Bagents status leaves the backup quarterback picture unsettled, and Trapilos availability matters for an offensive line that needs every healthy body it can get this early in the season. [Read more 🡒]