Despite a recent All-Pro nod, age and a move to a new team have analysts predicting a sharp decline for the veteran safety as the 2026 season nears.
The Chicago Bears defense was consistently unreliable last season.
It was about the only thing you could count on the Bears' defense for week in and week out. Chicago allowed the 11th-most passing yards (239.4), sixth-most rushing yards (134.5) and 10th-most points per game (24.4).
Despite leading the league with 33 takeaways last season, the team struggled in nearly all other defensive stats. Team sacks were also an issue, as the Bears had 35 as a team, ranking 22nd in the NFL.
This kind of production on defense isn't sustainable if the Bears want to continue their winning ways after a successful 2025. Playing more complementary football should be a high priority for this team in 2026.
As a result of the team's defensive issues, the Bears said goodbye to many starters on that side of the ball.
Tremaine Edmunds, Nahshon Wright, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker are no longer with the team. Edmunds was released to give the team $15 million in cap room for free agency.
The rest of the players departed the team in free agency.
One of the biggest losses out of that group for the Bears was Byard, without a doubt. At the age of 32 last year, he led the NFL with seven interceptions, made his third-ever Pro Bowl appearance, and was also a First-Team All-Pro for the third time in his career.
Byard left the Bears to reunite with his former head coach, Mike Vrabel, at the New England Patriots. Byard and Vrabel spent multiple years together with the Tennessee Titans before he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles at the 2023 deadline.
For Bears fans, if last year proved anything, it's that Byard is still at the top of his game. However, not everyone is convinced he can still play at a high level.
Fansided's Justin Carter released a list of five NFL stars he thought would regress in 2026, and Byard was among them.
"So, why expect regression from Byard?" Carter said. "Well...for every reason I just mentioned. He's getting older. He has nowhere to go but down after leading the NFL in picks. He's going to have to adjust to a new team, which won't be easy, and there's a player behind him on the depth chart who might surprisingly challenge him for snaps."
It will be tough for Byard to replicate the same numbers he had from last season. He had 93 total tackles, seven interceptions and four TFLs. Byard will be 33 by the time the 2026 season rolls around.
Last season did teach us that it's unwise to bet against him, however.
