The Chicago Bears’ postseason run gave fans a glimpse of what this team could be-but now comes the hard part. With a long offseason ahead, the front office faces a pivotal stretch where roster decisions will shape the identity of next year’s squad. And it starts with a long list of free agents.
Ben Johnson, the team’s new head coach, made it clear: the top priority right now is evaluating which players stay and which ones go. He didn’t name names, but the list is extensive-and full of players who played meaningful snaps in 2025.
Key Contributors Hitting Free Agency
Veterans like Kevin Byard, Andrew Billings, and Jaquan Brisker headline a group of defenders who logged real minutes this season. Byard, the seasoned safety, brought leadership and stability to the secondary.
He’s not the same player who made multiple Pro Bowls in Tennessee, but he still showed he can quarterback a defense from the back end. The question is whether the Bears want to invest in a veteran nearing the twilight of his career or go younger.
Brisker, meanwhile, is a more complicated case. The young safety had an up-and-down season but finished strong-flashing the kind of playmaking that made him a second-round pick. He’s still on the rise, but with that comes a price tag that could climb quickly.
Up front, Billings did the dirty work in the trenches. He’s not flashy, but he’s dependable-a space-eater who frees up linebackers. He’s also a player the Bears could potentially replace through the draft or cheaper free agency options, which makes his future uncertain.
Depth Pieces with Decisions Looming
Then there’s a group of players who filled key rotational or depth roles: Olamide Zaccheaus, Devin Duvernay, Nahshon Wright, D’Marco Jackson, Braxton Jones, and Dominique Robinson.
Zaccheaus served as a fourth wideout, but with DJ Moore’s future in question, that role could become more important. Duvernay brought special teams value and flashed as a gadget player, but how much are the Bears willing to pay for that kind of utility?
Wright is a boom-or-bust corner-he made some splash plays but also got beat more than you’d like. Jackson, initially brought in for depth, ended up seeing starter reps and didn’t look out of place. With Tremaine Edmunds potentially on the move to free up cap space, Jackson could be in line for a bigger role-if the Bears believe in his upside.
Braxton Jones is an interesting case. He has three seasons of experience at left tackle, but injuries and inconsistency led to him being benched late in the year.
He didn’t get a real shot under Ben Johnson, so it’s unclear how the new staff views him. If they think he still has starter potential, he could stick.
If not, he may be on the way out.
Dominique Robinson, a former Day 3 pick, hasn’t lived up to the early hype-but under Dennis Allen, he carved out a niche role. That might be enough to buy him another year, especially if the staff sees something to build on.
Other Names to Watch
Beyond the headline names, the Bears also have to make calls on players like Case Keenum, Durham Smythe, Jonathan Owens, Nick McCloud, Noah Sewell, and Ryan Bates. These aren’t stars, but they’re the kind of depth pieces that fill out a 53-man roster.
Some could be back on team-friendly deals. Others might be replaced by younger, cheaper options.
One name that’s almost certainly returning is Theo Benedet, who’s an Exclusive Rights Free Agent. That designation means the Bears can bring him back with little resistance, and they likely will.
A Roster in Transition
This offseason is going to be a defining one for Chicago. The Bears have momentum, a new coaching staff, and a fan base hungry for sustained success. But with so many free agents, this roster could look very different in 2026.
The front office has to weigh age, production, scheme fit, and salary cap implications-all while building around a core that showed real promise down the stretch. Some familiar faces will be back.
Others won’t. And every move will say something about how this new regime plans to build a winner in Chicago.