The Bears have a linebacker problem brewing in 2026, and it puts Ruben Hyppolite II squarely in the spotlight.
Chicago’s defense is trying to get itself right while the offense is built to chase a Super Bowl, but the second level of the defense comes with real uncertainty. Injuries hit the linebacker group hard in 2025, and the current picture has T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush and D'Marco Jackson as the top options in three-linebacker packages.
That leaves the rest of the room fighting for survival.
Depth is the issue, and the Bears are going to need somebody to emerge if injuries strike again. Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell and rookie fifth-round pick Keyshaun Elliott are all names to watch, but Hyppolite may be the most intriguing one in the mix because of how much attention he drew when Chicago brought him in.
Hyppolite arrived with plenty of buzz after blazing a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. The speed was obvious, and it fit what the Bears were looking for. But the hype faded fast once the games started.
In 2025, Hyppolite appeared in seven games and made one start. He finished with six tackles and spent most of his time as a special teams piece. A shoulder injury then interrupted any chance he had to build momentum.
Now he heads into 2026 with his future hanging in the balance. His role is unclear, and even his place on the 53-man roster is not guaranteed. Chicago is loaded with competition at linebacker, and the team may only keep five or six inside linebackers.
That puts Hyppolite on the bubble, with Sewell, Sanborn and Elliott all standing in his way. Last season, most of his tackles came on defense, but even with 42% of special teams snaps, he did not make the kind of impact the Bears were hoping for.
Training camp is going to tell the story. Hyppolite has two months to show Chicago and its fan base that the tools are real. If he doesn’t do it, the next stop could be the practice squad, where he’d be waiting longer for another shot.
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