The latest NFC North projection has the Bears looking up at Green Bay, but that’s not the real danger in Chicago’s path.
Pro Football Network went through its division winners and slotted the Packers first in the NFC North at 12-5, with the Bears right behind them at 11 wins in 2026. That’s a bold call, especially when the Bears are coming off a breakout 2025 season and have the kind of combination that matters most: a strong head coach-quarterback pairing and a roster that should only get more comfortable in Ben Johnson’s system after another year in it.
The bigger issue with that prediction is simple. Green Bay looks like a team headed for regression after losing so many key offseason pieces.
Chicago’s offense, meanwhile, should be better equipped to build on what it already showed. That makes the Packers a shaky pick to jump the Bears.
If there’s one team that should be treated as the real threat to Chicago repeating in the NFC North, it’s Detroit.
The Lions were a problem for the Bears last season, even though they missed the playoffs. Dan Campbell’s team beat Chicago twice, including a blowout in one of the few games where the Detroit offense was fully clicking since losing Johnson. That’s the kind of evidence that should matter when sorting out the division race.
Detroit has the veteran backbone and proven winning track record that deserves respect. The Bears have the pieces to stay on top, but the Lions are the team that actually looks capable of challenging them. Green Bay, despite the name value, just doesn’t look like the roster built to close that gap.
In Other News...
Bears Linked To A Backfield Move Fans Never Expected
The Bears spent much of last season leaning on a very small running back rotation, with D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai handling the bulk of the work while Roschon Johnson remained part of the mix. That has naturally led to questions about whether Chicago should add another proven back, and Bleacher Report recently floated the idea of the Bears exploring a trade to bolster the room.
The appeal is obvious in theory, since the right veteran could give the offense more stability and ease the burden on the current depth chart. But the fit is not clean, especially when you factor in salary-cap considerations and the possibility of bringing in a player with recent durability concerns, which makes this one of those ideas that sounds simple on paper and far more complicated once the details come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
One Bears Receiver Is Suddenly At Center Of A Camp Battle
As the Bears head into 2026 training camp, the focus is already turning to the roster spots that could be won or lost in a hurry, and one of the more intriguing names in that mix is Jahdae Walker. After a rookie season with limited playing time but a few key plays, Walker has put himself in position to compete for a bigger role as Chicago sorts through its receiver depth.
Walkers path has become more interesting with the recent roster changes, because there is a real opening for him to emerge as the Bears WR3. He is not alone in that race, though, with third-round pick Zavion Thomas adding another layer to the battle and making this one of the camp competitions worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Two Bears Rookies Are Suddenly In Real Position To Start
With training camp approaching, the Bears rookie class is drawing plenty of attention, and not just from the usual first-year names trying to carve out depth roles. Among the newcomers, Malik Muhammad and Keyshaun Elliott have emerged as the two with the clearest path to forcing their way into the conversation, even as Chicago sorts through a roster that still has several moving parts on both sides of the ball.
Muhammads appeal is tied to his flexibility, since the Bears are open to using him outside or in the slot if he keeps showing up in the right spots. Elliott is in a different kind of race, one shaped by a linebacker group that is crowded but far from settled, where a strong camp could quickly turn a developmental label into something more immediate for Chicago. [Read more 🡒]