The Bears left Week 6 with a win over the Atlanta Falcons, and the return of quarterback Caleb Williams grabbed the biggest headlines. But Chicago also got meaningful contributions from several other players, including a few impending free agents who made their mark in all three phases.
That group starts with Noah Sewell, who made a strong case for himself in just his second game back from a torn Achilles. With T.J.
Edwards sidelined, Sewell stepped into a bigger role and looked sharp throughout the afternoon. He showed up all over the field, whether the stat sheet credited him or not, and was especially effective against the run.
Chicago’s defense helped hold Bijan Robinson to only 61 rushing yards, and Sewell played a big part in that effort. The Bears have plenty of linebacker depth, but Sewell looks like someone who should be in the mix to come back in 2027 if he keeps this level going.
Clark Phillips III also gave Bears fans a first real look at what he can bring on defense. After spending the first five weeks mostly on special teams, he was on the field for 22 defensive snaps against Atlanta with Chicago short-handed on that side of the ball.
His most noticeable moment came when he bulldozed Bijan Robinson and got a hit on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The physical edge stood out, and it brought to mind the style the Bears love from Kyler Gordon.
If Phillips keeps making plays like that, Chicago may have a reason to keep him around after dealing Gervon Dexter Sr. to Atlanta.
Roschon Johnson’s afternoon came with two very different snapshots. In place of Kyle Monangai, Johnson worked alongside D'Andre Swift and, for much of the game, looked serviceable enough.
That was a big step up from his showing in Green Bay, where he moved like a back with no vision and little sense of what was happening around him. Against the Falcons, he at least had a couple of solid moments before the game turned on him.
Late in the fourth quarter, Johnson fumbled on a drive that came right after Atlanta trimmed the score to 31-15. The Falcons recovered, marched back down the field, and scored again to make it 31-23.
Then, on Chicago’s final offensive series, Johnson ran near the goal line and slid instead of scoring so the Bears could drain the clock. He may have patched things up a bit there, but he’s still working himself off this roster next year.
At left tackle, the Bears also started to change things up. Ozzy Trapilo saw his first action there this season, logging 17 snaps, and that could be the beginning of the end for Theo Benedet as the fill-in starter.
Braxton Jones won the job in the offseason while Trapilo was still returning from injury, and both Benedet and Jones are set to be free agents next year. That situation makes the coming weeks worth watching.
And then there’s Josh Blackwell, who just keeps doing Josh Blackwell things. The special teams standout has been a steady presence in Chicago for five seasons, and Sunday brought another example of why he keeps hanging around.
Blackwell recovered a Zachariah Branch fumble and put the Bears inside the Falcons’ 10-yard line. He doesn’t offer much on defense, but as a special teams weapon, he keeps proving he belongs.
With Blackwell also set to be a free agent in 2027, he remains one of those players who seems to make a play every week.
In Other News...
Bears Still Have One Roster Problem Ryan Poles Cant Ignore
With the November 10 trade deadline approaching, the Bears are once again being sized up as buyers on the defensive side, and the fit is obvious enough to understand why. Chicago has already been linked to a handful of possible additions, with the conversation centered on pass rush help and a cornerback option who could steady things for a defense still looking for more impact plays and more depth. The list being floated ranges from veterans to younger pieces with upside, which tells you the front office is at least weighing both short-term fixes and longer-term answers.
What makes the discussion interesting is that it is not just about plugging one hole for a playoff push. The Bears have been evaluated against players who could alter the look of the front seven and, in one case, give them a more durable answer on the back end, but actual movement remains far from certain. For now, it is another reminder that Ryan Poles may not be done tinkering, and the biggest question is whether Chicago will pay the price to turn this theoretical help into a real upgrade. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Win Could Not Hide One Growing Cairo Santos Concern
The Bears got the win over Atlanta, but Cairo Santos day still left a familiar aftertaste for Chicagos special teams picture. His range has become part of the conversation again, and the missed 56-yard try against the Falcons only sharpened the concern. For a team trying to build toward meaningful January football, those long-distance attempts matter because they can decide tight games when touchdowns are harder to come by.
Santos has been steady enough to keep the job for now, but the bigger issue is whether the Bears can keep leaning on a kicker whose margin from deep is looking thinner. Chicago is not in panic mode, yet this is the kind of detail front offices and coaching staffs notice, especially with playoff scenarios in mind. If the Bears want every scoring opportunity to feel safe, they may have to keep an eye out for a better answer at the position. [Read more 🡒]
Roschon Johnson Just Gave Bears Something To Think About
With Kyle Monangai unavailable and DAndre Swift out for the latter half of the game, Roschon Johnson suddenly found himself with a larger piece of the Bears backfield in Week 6 against Atlanta. He handled the opportunity well enough to keep Chicago moving, giving the offense a needed spark in a game where the running game had to absorb more responsibility than usual.
The larger question now is what that means for Thursday night against New England, where Chicago could be forced to lean on Johnson again if Monangai is still sidelined. His workload against the Falcons at least put him back into the conversation, even if the final moments of the game left a reminder that the Bears still have some sorting out to do in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]