Pro Bowl talent and offensive line dominance proved their offseason strategy. Now, with a franchise QB and elite coach, Chicago is a premier free agent destination.
The Chicago Bears made some splashes last offseason that really paid off.
It all started with the offensive line.
General Manager Ryan Poles traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. He also signed free agent center Drew Dalman. Both Thuney and Dalman went to the Pro Bowl this season with safety Kevin Byard.
Even acquisitions like Case Keenum were extremely valuable. Keenum didn't even play a single snap this season, but was a constant source of wisdom and helped Caleb Williams develop even more in year two of his NFL career.
We'll have to wait and see what Poles does this offseason, but Chicago is already in a great position. With a head coach like Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams firmly cemented in the organization, it's an attractive place for free agents.
Kevin Byard, in a recent interview, said that having Williams and Johnson in place would make the franchise a great destination for free agents.
"You have a franchise quarterback, and I think that's one of the hardest things to get right, you know what I mean?" Byard said. "...He's already a top quarterback in my opinion. And I think that's going to attract people that want to come here as well because of how good he is as a quarterback."
Jackson echoed those sentiments and reminisced on how easy it was to choose Chicago last offseason.
"It was great. It was great," Jackson said. "You know, and as soon as the opportunity came to come here with Ben, it was a no-brainer. How he was as an OC, how he was as a tight end's coach six years ago. You've seen it, and it's awesome."
Losing players is a given every offseason. Key players like Byard, Jaquan Brisker, and others are all up to be re-signed or let go by the Bears.
Byard's two-year, $15 million contract is up after leading the NFL with seven interceptions. Brisker is set to be a free agent after his rookie deal expired, ending with 93 total tackles, one TFL, one interception and one sack in the regular season.
It's good to know that Chicago is a viable destination for free agents, since it's not guaranteed that the same team will be suiting up in 2026.
Poles is willing to do what's best for this franchise. Having Johnson and a quarterback like Williams in the mix is definitely a plus.