After a promising 2025 campaign came to a halt in the Divisional Round against the Rams, the Chicago Bears are facing the cold reality of the NFL offseason. Tight end Cole Kmet summed it up best in the postgame locker room: “This is a week-to-week, year-to-year league, and the locker room is going to look a lot different next year.”
He's not wrong. That’s the nature of the league - turnover is constant.
Roster shakeups are inevitable, especially for a team like the Bears that’s building toward sustained success. And with free agency just around the corner - the negotiation window opens March 9-10, with deals becoming official on March 11 at 4 p.m.
ET - Chicago’s front office is about to make some tough decisions.
Two Key Bears Hit ESPN’s Top 50 Free Agents List
ESPN’s Matt Bowen recently dropped his list of the top 50 pending free agents, and two Bears defenders earned spots: cornerback Nahshon Wright and safety Jaquan Brisker.
Let’s start with Wright, who checks in at No. 37.
In his first season with Chicago, Wright emerged as a key playmaker in a banged-up secondary. The 6-foot-4, 199-pound cornerback played all 17 games and made his presence felt - five interceptions, 11 passes defensed, three fumble recoveries, and 80 total tackles.
That’s a breakout year by any measure.
Wright’s length and instincts stood out all season. While he doesn’t have elite recovery speed, his frame and feel for the game made him a valuable asset in both man coverage and zone schemes like Cover 2.
He even took one of those five picks to the house. For a Bears defense that battled through injuries, Wright was the steady, opportunistic presence they needed on the outside.
Then there’s Jaquan Brisker, who landed at No. 44.
After a concussion-plagued 2024 season that saw him miss 12 games, Brisker bounced back in a big way. He suited up for all 17 games and reminded everyone why he’s such a disruptive force near the line of scrimmage.
Brisker’s game is built on physicality and versatility. He’s a downhill safety who can fill gaps in the run game, blitz off the edge, and still drop into coverage when needed. Over his four seasons in Chicago, he’s racked up four interceptions, seven sacks, and 14 pass breakups - a stat line that speaks to his all-around impact.
And he saved one of his best performances for the biggest stage. In the Divisional Round loss to the Rams, Brisker posted a game-high 14 tackles, added a sack, and notched a tackle for loss. It was a gritty, tone-setting effort - the kind of performance that doesn’t go unnoticed by coaches or front offices.
The Contract Crunch
Here’s where things get tricky for Chicago. Both Brisker and fellow starting safety Kevin Byard III are set to hit free agency, and it’s unlikely the Bears will bring both back. General manager Ryan Poles has shown interest in re-signing Byard, which could leave Brisker looking for a new home - unless the numbers work out.
Wright, meanwhile, may have priced himself out of Chicago after his standout season. The Bears already have Jaylon Johnson, who’s expected to return fully healthy in 2026 after battling core muscle and groin injuries, and Tyrique Stevenson still has a year left on his rookie deal. That gives the Bears some depth at corner, but Wright’s production will be hard to replace if he walks.
The Road Ahead
The Bears took a meaningful step forward in 2025, but now comes the part where teams either build on momentum or lose ground. Free agency will be the first big test of the offseason. With key contributors like Wright and Brisker potentially heading out the door, the front office has decisions to make - and not a lot of room for error.
This next phase of roster building isn’t just about replacing talent. It’s about reinforcing the culture and identity that helped push the Bears into the playoff picture.
And as Kmet pointed out, the locker room will look different. That’s the NFL.
The challenge now is making sure it looks better.