After a playoff run, a grueling first-place schedule and gutted roster depth threaten to derail Ben Johnson’s second season as oddsmakers project a looming slide.
The Chicago Bears outkicked their coverage in 2025 under Ben Johnson.
After winning five games the year before, the Bears went 11-6 and won the NFC North, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
The Bears secured their first playoff win since 2010 after taking down the Green Bay Packers in an instant classic that ended with another fourth-quarter comeback.
While nothing in the NFL is easy, it's worth mentioning that the Bears were able to win 11 games with a last-place schedule. After winning the NFC North, the Bears are now going to try to repeat their success from last year, but with a first-place schedule.
Chicago is playing the NFC South and AFC East, which means teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills are on the docket. Then, there are also games with the Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The road to the playoffs in 2026 is only going to get tougher following the massive success of the first year of Johnson's tenure.
The effects of that schedule are starting to take hold in projected win totals.
PFF has released its win total projections for 2026, and the Bears were expected to win 9.5 games in the fall.
Chicago's strength of schedule is No. 8 in the NFL.
It looks like people believe the Bears will regress in their second year under Johnson. While the schedule is tougher, the Bears have shed talent this offseason, too.
On offense, D.J. Moore, Drew Dalman, Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay have left the franchise. The defense lost Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Nahshon Wright, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Andrew Billings and Tremaine Edmunds.
Kalif Raymond is now expected to start at receiver after Moore's departure. Garrett Bradbury is the replacement for Dalman following his shocking retirement.
To replace Byard and Brisker, the Bears added Coby Bryant in free agency and drafted Dillon Thieneman out of Oregon in April. Chicago also brought in former Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush to play where Edmunds used to.
Holes on the roster have been filled with suitable replacements, but the main thing that will need to improve for the Bears is the defense.
Chicago's defense was one of the most volatile in the league last year. While the Bears led the NFL in takeaways (33), they still allowed the sixth-most rushing yards and 11th-most passing yards per game.
If the Bears regress in 2026, one thing we do know is that it most likely won't be the offense's fault.
