Key players depart as the Bears face a brutal 2026 schedule, testing their playoff momentum and requiring a "brand new story" to survive the toughest NFL slate.
Things aren't going to get any easier for the Chicago Bears in 2026.
Plenty of players are going to become free agents now that their contracts have expired. Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker are two key players who are set to become free agents.
Then, there will need to be something done at left tackle. According to General Manager Ryan Poles, Ozzy Trapilo's patellar injury is going to potentially sideline him until late in the 2026 season.
The Bears reached the Divisional Round in year one under head coach Ben Johnson. The magical year that Chicago ended with a 20-17 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
After the success they had, the Bears' schedule is going to get even harder in 2026.
Chicago is set to play the AFC East and the NFC South, on top of their own division. The Bears will also face the Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks.
With some of the teams they are playing in the 2026 season, it's no wonder that the Bears have the toughest strength of schedule in the NFL.
This is, unfortunately, the price of having a good season in the NFL. The Bears secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC after finishing with an 11-6 record in the regular season.
It can be easy to think that the Bears can just build off of this success for the next year of Johnson's reign. However, the NFL sadly doesn't work that way.
It's going to be a true grind for Chicago to even come close to reaching the Divisional Round again.
Johnson understands how unforgiving this league can be, and took no comfort in next season.
"Next season is next season," Johnson said. "It's a whole different group. It's a whole different chapter. You know, we'll have to write a whole brand new story. That's the thing about this, is you put in all this work and you sacrifice, and you trust the people around you. You know, you can't take any shortcuts. So, I wish I could say that this is momentum from year one. It doesn't work that way. Honestly, I don't even wanna talk about next year yet. There will be a time and a place for it, but we're still hurting. We had a great opportunity here this year to make a name for ourselves. I'm proud that we were able to get to this point, and disappointed that we fell short."
It'll be a tough road back to the playoffs for the Bears in 2026.