The Bears are 3-1, Caleb Williams is on the way back, and Ben Johnson’s team already looks like it belongs in the Super Bowl conversation. That makes this the perfect moment to start eyeing upgrades - because even a defense playing well can still get better.
If the Chargers really do decide to go full reset after stumbling to 0-4, Chicago should be paying attention. Los Angeles could be headed for the kind of teardown Miami once embraced during its “tank for Tua” stretch, when names like Jarvis Landry, Laremy Tunsil, Robert Quinn, Ryan Tannehill, and Minkah Fitzpatrick all got moved out. Justin Herbert is the wild-card thought, but the more realistic path is the Chargers dealing off a few other pieces as they look ahead to 2027.
That opens the door for the Bears.
Khalil Mack is the obvious name, and for good reason. He’s already familiar to Chicago, and Bears fans have been dreaming about a reunion for more than a year.
Mack returned to the Chargers on a one-year deal this offseason, which also makes him a clean trade candidate if Los Angeles starts selling. At 35, and with his contract situation, he shouldn’t cost much - maybe a fifth- or sixth-round pick.
He’s also still producing at a high level. Mack is on pace for his best pressure total since 2019, when he was with the Bears, and he already has 3.0 sacks in four games.
Pairing him with Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Montez Sweat would give Chicago a much more dangerous edge group. The Bears are currently fourth-worst in pressure rate, so the need is obvious.
There’s a younger, pricier option too: Tuli Tuipulotu. The 24-year-old former second-round pick out of Ohio State was a player some Bears fans wanted back in the 2023 NFL Draft.
He made the Pro Bowl last season and is now in the fourth year of his rookie deal, which means Chicago would be trading for more than a rental. If the Bears moved for him, they’d have to be ready to pay him next offseason.
Otherwise, there’s not much point compared to Mack.
Tuipulotu has 2.0 sacks and eight pressures this season. Mack has 10 pressures.
Between the two, Mack is the cleaner fit. But Tuipulotu is still a name worth watching if the Chargers start unloading talent.
Cornerback is another spot where Chicago could poke around, and Cam Hart fits that conversation. The Bears’ corner room remains unsettled.
Tyrique Stevenson has struggled, fans want Malik Muhammad in the mix, and Kyler Gordon’s health is still a question. Jaylon Johnson and Muhammad look like the only corners the team can truly count on right now, and Johnson has had a rough start himself.
Hart, a 2024 fifth-round pick, is allowing a career-best 71.6 opposing quarterback rating and has four pass breakups in four games. He would give the Bears the kind of depth they expected from Clark Phillips, who still hasn’t played on defense since coming over to Chicago before the season.
In Other News...
Bears Open Week 5 With A Protection Problem Fans Feared
The Bears opened Week 5 with a familiar and uncomfortable sight on the injury report, and this one hit right where the offense can least afford it. Chicago listed 12 players heading into the week, with seven not practicing, including three starting offensive linemen in Jonah Jackson, Joe Thuney and Darnell Wright, a grouping that leaves the front in clear jeopardy before the game plan even gets into motion.
Caleb Williams was also ruled out and did not practice, adding another layer to an offense already trying to stabilize around a battered line. Kyle Monangai and D'Andre Swift were among the running backs sidelined by injuries, while the news was a little better on defense, where Kyler Gordon and Cam Lewis were full participants and appear close to returning. Still, the early week picture for Chicago was less about who might come back and more about how many key pieces are suddenly unavailable. [Read more 🡒]
Luther Burden III Just Added Real Heat To Bears Packers Week 5
Luther Burden III is making it clear the Bears are treating Week 5 like more than just another early-season game. The rookie wideout put the rivalry front and center this week, underscoring Chicagos eagerness to beat Green Bay and do it in convincing fashion, while the bigger backdrop only adds to the temperature around the matchup. Ben Johnson also brings some useful history into this one, with a strong track record against Packers coach Matt LaFleur, including a recent playoff win.
Chicago enters the week with reasons to feel better about where it sits than it has in past editions of this rivalry. The Packers have shown cracks along the offensive line, and the Bears own roster looks deeper and more stable, especially on defense. Burdens comments fit the moment well, because this is the kind of game where confidence, edge and a little extra bite can matter almost as much as the usual Xs and Os. [Read more 🡒]
Why Bears Fans Should Feel Confident Heading To Lambeau
The Bears head to Lambeau in Week 5 with a chance to reset the conversation after both Chicago and Green Bay took early losses to the Vikings. This matchup has the feel of an opportunity for the Bears to lean on what has made their defense capable of bothering opponents, because the Packers have not looked especially comfortable on offense through the first month.
Green Bays rushing game has been a problem, and its third-down offense has not been much better, which opens the door for Chicago to force longer drives and tougher decisions. The Packers have leaned on a quicker passing game to compensate for offensive line concerns, but that also gives the Bears a clear roadmap: pressure the timing, stay disciplined underneath, and make Green Bay prove it can sustain an attack the hard way. [Read more 🡒]