The Bears’ new-look defense could hardly ask for a gentler opening stretch at quarterback.
Chicago is going to need patience as this group settles in, and that reality puts a lot on Ben Johnson’s offense and Caleb Williams. The good news for the Bears is that the first four weeks line up against a quarterback slate that gives the defense some breathing room before the pressure really starts to build.
There is one clear exception, but for the most part this is a schedule that should allow Chicago’s defense to find its footing without having to carry the load right away. Here’s a look at the first four quarterbacks the Bears are set to face.
Bryce Young opens the list in Week 1, and Chicago could not have drawn a better matchup at the position. Young has made a career so far out of doing just enough to keep his job, but he still has not proven he can be a franchise quarterback.
His size remains an obvious issue, and the Bears should be able to exploit that. The Panthers’ season could easily end with them searching for both a new quarterback and, likely, a new head coach.
Kyler Murray comes next, and he’s another name that should give Chicago plenty of margin for error. Murray’s time with the Cardinals grew frustrating enough that the franchise paid him to go away, and the Minnesota Vikings then brought him into what was described as an underwhelming battle with J.J.
McCarthy, who did everything reasonably possible to lose the role. Murray is no longer the same explosive athlete he was coming out of college, with injuries piling up and his decision-making still an issue.
That combination has led to steady regression, and it gives the Bears a favorable matchup again.
The one quarterback who stands apart is Jalen Hurts. He’s a Super Bowl winner and a proven difference-maker, and that matters.
Still, there’s a catch for Philadelphia: Hurts is working in a new offense, and over the last year he has leaned on the run game while operating an attack that has usually been short on explosive plays. That could change down the line, but what the Bears saw a season ago didn’t leave much reason to fear this version of the Eagles offense.
Then there’s Geno Smith, who was mentioned among the league’s worst starters a season ago after spending his time with the Las Vegas Raiders running for his life and making bad decisions. Smith then moved on to the New York Jets, another situation that is not expected to scare Dennis Allen’s defense. Chicago should have chances to force turnovers and capitalize on mistakes.
For a defense trying to settle in, this is about as soft a launch as it gets.
In Other News...
Bears Suddenly Have A Running Back Depth Question Worth Watching
The Bears got a brief scare at running back this week when both Kyle Monangai and DAndre Swift dealt with injuries, a reminder of how quickly the position can thin out behind the starters. The good news is that neither situation appears to be a long-term concern, but it was enough to put a spotlight on the depth chart and how fragile that room can look when two backs are suddenly on the injury report at once.
For now, Chicago is not in emergency mode, but it has quietly become a spot to monitor if the team needs another body behind Swift and Monangai. Around the league, there are several running backs sitting on other teams practice squads who could make sense as short-term insurance if the Bears decide they want extra protection at a position where one more setback can change the conversation quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Poles May Have Tipped The Bears' Next Draft Focus
Ryan Poles was back in college-scouting mode over the weekend, taking in Miamis game against Stanford with an eye on the 2027 NFL Draft. For a Bears front office that has made talent accumulation a central part of its build, the trip was another reminder that the work never really stops, even years before a class reaches the league.
Miami offered plenty to keep a general manager watching closely, with running back Mark Fletcher Jr., wide receiver Cooper Barkate, edge rusher Damon Wilson II, defensive tackles Ahmad Moten and Justin Scott, and linebacker Mohamed Toure all looking like names Chicago could circle for down the road. It is early, of course, and plenty will change before that draft arrives, but Poles presence on campus makes the Bears long-term interest a little easier to read. [Read more 🡒]
These Bears Will Carry The Pressure Of Chicagos 2026 Hopes
As the Bears head toward the regular season, a familiar kind of pressure is settling onto the roster: this is a team trying to turn a promising collection of talent into something that actually holds up when the games count. The attention naturally falls on the players expected to shape the offense and stabilize the line of scrimmage, with Cole Kmet, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, Colston Loveland, Darnell Wright and Joe Thuney all carrying different pieces of that burden, while Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson remain central to what Chicago wants to be on defense.
The bigger question is not whether the Bears have names worth watching, but whether enough of them can absorb the added responsibility created by injuries and still keep the season on track. Dillon Thieneman is part of that wider conversation too, because every layer of the roster matters when expectations are this high and the margin for error is thin. Chicago does not need every player to be a star, but it does need the right ones to be ready when the pressure starts to rise. [Read more 🡒]