No one expected the Chicago Bears to have the kind of season they had in head coach Ben Johnson’s first year at the helm. At least there was no one outside Halas Hall. But after an 11-6 season that included an NFC North title and a wild-card playoff victory, Chicago entered 2026 with high expectations.
The Bears overachieved in Johnson’s first season as coach, capping off an impactful year with the emergence of quarterback Caleb Williams, an overhaul of the offensive line and the NFL’s best rookie draft class. This offseason is focused on the need to strengthen the roster, especially on defense, in order for this team to once again contend for a Super Bowl title. Now that the Bears have the duo of Johnson and Williams, the sky’s the limit heading into year two.
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We’ve compiled all the premature power rankings following the Super Bowl, and it’s clear the media believes the Bears have the potential to make a statement in 2026.
USA Today
Current ranking:Third place
what did they say: “They lost in the divisional round in overtime to the mighty Rams at Soldier Field. Chicago won eight of its final 12 games and clinched its first NFC North title in seven years. “Good, better, best,” a team that gradually got better in 2025 and not only found its identity but a formidable combination in coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams that could be a force to be reckoned with for more than a decade.” ——Nate Davis
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NFL.com
Current ranking:Seventh place
what did they say: “The Bears are making football interesting again in Chicago. Going from the team’s recent poor history to an 0-2 start, things got really dark for a while. That’s when the Caleb Williams-Ben Johnson magic started to work and delivered one exciting finish after another. Even the losses were fun and mostly encouraging. But the Bears still have to recognize their own Cons. They need to find a way to shore up their defense and stabilize their offense in order to get another big win in what should be a loaded NFC North field, but there’s still more building to do and some cuts may need to be made, and that’s assuming they can redo some contracts, but Chicago likely has neither the cap space nor the draft ammunition to make a big addition.” ——Eric Edholm
ESPN
Current ranking: No. 11
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what did they say: “This has been one of the quietest offseasons the Bears have had in recent years. Sure, they have to find a new assistant general manager, offensive coordinator and running backs coach, but they don’t have to make moves to change the team before next season. The Bears have the right combination of coaching quarterbacks in Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams. They’ve built a winning culture that can continue to grow next season. There’s still a lot of work to be done on the roster, especially with the pass rush, free agency and the draft, but it’s going to be a drama-free offseason.” ——Courtney Cronin
Competitor
Current ranking: No. 11
what did they say: “The Bears signed Drew Dahlman and traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, making the second most impactful addition of the offseason behind New England’s slew of free agents. It led to the resurgence of quarterback Kyler Williams and gave Chicago its first playoff win in 15 years. This team could be a summer sleeper.” —Josh Kendall and Chad Graf
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Yahoo! sporty
Current ranking: No. 9
what did they say: “The Bears are developing fast in 2025. Typically, teams that take big leaps take a step back next year, but Caleb Williams should theoretically improve in his third season, especially with Ben Johnson at the helm. The defense could use some leverage, especially in the pass rush, though in 25th That’s going to be difficult without a lot of draft picks or a ton of cap space, but the roster is good enough to win a division title and a playoff win, and there’s reason to believe the trajectory is still on track.” ——Frank Schwab
fox sports
Current ranking: No. 10
what did they say: “If the Bears play a similarly bad defense, Caleb Williams’ pressure and dangerous offense will be too much. They’re still a playoff threat, but if they develop a pass rush and fix their secondary, they could be a Super Bowl contender.” ——Ralph Vacchiano
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Bleacher Report
Current ranking:Seventh place
what did they say: “Ben Johnson has proven to be the right fit as head coach of the Chicago Bears, and his emergence has helped Caleb Williams begin his journey toward realizing his potential as an elite quarterback. Everything else about the 2025 season is working in the team’s favor. Williams’ talent was on full display, especially late in games. Considering that 1950 has been around since 1950, The team has essentially been searching for a legitimate franchise quarterback since Sid Luckman retired in 2016 — no exaggeration in that process — and Williams’ development has been a driving force behind his creative and playmaking abilities that have started to pay off, and after winning the NFC North, the Bears are now a real contender with the potential to be even better.” —Brent Sobleski
judgment
highest ranking:Third place
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lowest ranking: No. 11
our opinion: After an 11-6 season that saw them win the NFC North’s wild-card playoff game and fall within overtime of the divisional round, the media had high expectations for the Bears heading into the 2026 season. It has everything to do with Chicago finally having an outstanding head coach-quarterback tandem in Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, who have the potential to be one of the best in the NFL. While the Bears will face a tough schedule (on paper, just like last season), most rankings point to Chicago winning a back-to-back NFC North title or at least earning a wild-card berth and making another postseason statement.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears Power Rankings Roundup: Chicago entering 2026
