The Bears open the 2026 season with a schedule that looks manageable on paper, but that doesn’t make the first two games any less revealing. Chicago gets the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings to start the year, and after all the offseason attention and an NFC North title, the Bears are going to be measured fast. For Dennis Allen’s defense and Ben Johnson’s offense, Week 1 should offer some early answers.
The biggest defensive question is simple: who, besides Montez Sweat, is actually going to put real heat on the quarterback?
Austin Booker had a strong summer and created some real buzz around a possible breakout season, but that still has to show up when the games count. Right now, Sweat is the only edge rusher who feels like a dependable weekly source of pressure.
Chicago needs clarity early on what it really has in that pass-rushing group, and whether the front office has to consider another move if the production isn’t there. Josh Sweat and Maxx Crosby are still being talked about as possible trade options if the current group doesn’t deliver.
There’s also plenty to watch at receiver, where the depth chart behind Rome Odunze and Luther Burden is less settled. Those two are locked into major roles, but after them, things get interesting. Kalif Raymond, Zavion Thomas, and Jahdae Walker all have cases for more snaps, and Ben Johnson has to sort through that group quickly.
Week 1 should say a lot about how Johnson handles Walker and Thomas, and whether Raymond gets a larger share because of his familiarity with Johnson. It’s not the flashiest storyline on the board, but it matters.
And then there’s the offense itself, which may be the most intriguing test of all. Johnson spent the summer talking about wanting the league’s best offense and a group that could wipe teams off the field. If that was more than just noise, the Panthers and Vikings should be the first place it starts to show.
What Bears fans should watch is how aggressive Johnson stays once Chicago builds a lead. Does he keep pressing, or does the game script soften once the Bears are ahead?
That will tell people a lot about whether the talk of a historic offense was real or just summer hype. After the first two weeks, there should be a much clearer picture.
In Other News...
Bears Just Got An Early NFC North Break Against Green Bay
Josh Jacobs going on the commissioners exempt list is the kind of early-season twist that can ripple well beyond Green Bays backfield. For the Packers, it leaves a proven runner out of the mix for an unknown stretch and forces the team to sort through its depth sooner than expected, while for the Bears it lands as a small but meaningful opening in a division that figures to be tight all year.
Chicago already had reason to feel better about its running back room, and this only sharpens the contrast. Jacobs had been one of the Packers most reliable offensive pieces over the last two seasons, so any extended absence changes the look of Green Bays attack and, by extension, the NFC North race the Bears are trying to win. [Read more 🡒]
Kyler Gordon Video Reignites A Bears Concern That Still Wont Go Away
Kyler Gordons latest appearance in a social media workout video did little to quiet the uncertainty surrounding his status. The Bears have spent much of this season waiting for clarity on the defensive backs recovery, and general manager Ryan Poles only added to the unease when he acknowledged he could not say for sure whether Gordon will play for Chicago again.
Gordon looked healthy enough in the clip to stir optimism, but the optics only tell part of the story. A personal trainer pointed out that visible fitness is not the same thing as being ready for game action, since pain or swelling can still follow activity, and that is the sort of detail the Bears and their fans are still left trying to sort through. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Suddenly Have A Week 1 Worry They Couldn't Afford
The Bears went into their final preseason practice hoping to get through the week clean, but two key offensive pieces left the field with fresh concerns. Rome Odunze, who had already been limited by a foot issue, was dealing with that same injury again, while D'Andre Swift came up holding his midsection after a play. For a team trying to settle in before Week 1, it was the kind of late-August jolt no one wanted.
Chicago is now waiting for more information ahead of its opener against the Carolina Panthers, with the status of both players suddenly part of the conversation. Any preseason injury is worth watching, but this one lands with a little more weight because of where it hits and when it happened. The Bears had enough to sort out already, and now they are hoping the latest update does not turn into a bigger problem. [Read more 🡒]