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Another offseason won, so what are the realistic expectations for the Chicago Bears in 2025?

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Following a three-year stretch with just 15 combined wins, the Chicago Bears made sweeping changes this offseason. While most of the pieces appear to be in place, what are realistic expectations for Year 1 of Ben Johnson

The Chicago Bears and their fans have become no strangers to “winning” the offseason over the last few years. When general manager Ryan Poles took the reins of this franchise in 2022, he quickly ripped the band-aid off a roster that was one of the oldest in the league. Despite a severe lack of draft capital and cornerstone pieces, the plan seemed clear from the start. Over the team’s last three offseasons, they’ve had four first-round selections, five in the second round, and two third-round picks, giving them 11 premium selections in the previous three draft classes.

Following an extensive teardown in Year 1, the Bears have ranked within the Top 5 of cash spending regarding free agency, trades, draft classes, and contract extensions. In addition, Chicago has kept just three players on the 90-man roster who were here before 2022 (Jaylon Johnson, Cole Kmet, and Cairo Santos). Of Poles’ four draft classes, 27 of the drafted 34 players remain on the roster, including only one pick in the first three rounds.

With most of the team’s roster-building specifics addressed, let’s examine their acquisitions over the last few months.

Heading into March, all three starters along the interior of the offensive line were free agents. When the Bears hired Ben Johnson, it was assumed he would push hard to solidify the offensive line in Year 1. Teven Jenkins was the only player who would have been justifiable to bring back, but even then, his lack of availability over his first four years was alarming. Trey Smith had long been the apple of many fans’ eyes, but once the 25-year-old was franchise-tagged, Chicago needed to get creative to fill holes and substantially improve that group. Those circumstances led them to execute a pair of trades within 24 hours of each other. First came Jonah Jackson for a 2025 sixth-round pick. Shortly following that was the surprise acquisition of All-Pro Joe Thuney. Despite turning 33 in mid-November, he was precisely the type of stabilizer that could help the Bears quickly flip the talent level on their offensive line.

It would have been easy for the new pairing of Johnson and Poles to feel “good enough” about the two improvements on the offensive line. That’s exactly what would have happened in the previous three years under former head coach Matt Eberflus. Instead of waiting until the draft to address center, they struck quickly once the legal negotiation period opened by giving Drew Dalman a three-year deal. Suddenly, Chicago went from one of the worst interior offensive lines in football to a group that could be one of the best. Fortifying the interior was a must for a young quarterback like Caleb Williams. Adding more competition at left tackle with Ozzy Trapilo in the second round was just the cherry on top.

Their urgency to add pieces to the trenches on the defensive line was almost as impressive as their commitment to the offensive line. Far too often, we’ve seen the Bears set their focus on one side of the ball while generally ignoring the other. This offseason, they handed out a pair of big contracts to defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. I’m still not convinced that the Jarrett deal was smart or that it’ll pay off over the next two years, but adding him was as much about the culture and past production as it’ll be about how much he contributes as a pass rusher. Odeyingbo was the riskier of the two moves, but it’s easy to see why new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen zeroed in on him. The 25-year-old is just one year removed from an eight-sack season. He’s got the requisite length that Allen covets along his defensive line and is far from a finished product. If all goes well, he’ll be a Jonathan Greenard-lite for this group. Taking Shemar Turner with their final pick in Round Two not only gives the trenches more upside, but also gives Allen the ability to use multiple players across the line. I’m not convinced this will be a “great” group in 2025, but the overall ceiling and depth look much better than they did a year ago.

With seven new expected starters and 10-plus “impact players” added throughout the offseason, where should expectations be for the Bears heading into 2025?

Something stood out when Johnson took the job in January and spoke to the media for the first time. Instead of tempering expectations and riding the wave of being a new head coach on a (5-12) football team, he clearly and confidently stated that their goal is to win and win now. It’s not like Johnson is coming from outside the conference or division. He’s fully aware of how good the NFC North is and how daunting a task he’s taken on. The first-year head coach lauded his general manager’s roster building, while laying out a clear plan for attacking the offseason. Four months later, it’s easy to see their roster stacking up against the best teams in their division.

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As Bears fans have learned, football is never played on paper. Despite being three-time NFL offseason champs, there will be no banner-hanging ceremony in June. Johnson confidently taking shots at Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur sounded great in January, but how will it look in December? The offseason is full of hope for all 32 fan bases. It’s easy for fans to talk themselves into a bright future and a better tomorrow. After all, how many other professional sports leagues have more worse-to-first turnarounds every year? Parity in the NFL is at an all-time high, and that’s great for any team that failed to make the playoffs in the previous season. These have all been talking points around Chicago over the last decade, yet when it comes to September, those hopes usually fade by Thanksgiving. With just two playoff appearances since 2010, it’s time for this franchise to deliver on its offseason optimism finally.

Starting rookie quarterbacks typically lead to a mixed bag of results. 2024 is a prime example of exactly that. While the Bears and New England Patriots combined for nine wins, the Denver Broncos (10-7) and Washington Commanders (12-5) each made the playoffs. Overreacting to a young quarterback’s first year of starting is always easy to accomplish in the moment, but those feelings are rarely remembered down the road.

I’m not sure you’ll find many people willing to excuse the Bears for their failures in 2024. As more details have emerged from Eberflus’ disastrous final season in Chicago, the stench of dysfunction has lingered. Despite those frustrations, the NFL’s long-standing mantra “Not For Long” doesn’t just apply to players. It also applies to teams and their trajectory. Last season, the Broncos and Commanders had two of the lowest projected win totals in the league. Both teams won double-digit games.

So, why not the Bears? Their new, ambitious head coach hasn’t shied away from expectations, so why should fans? Words only hold so much meaning in a city like Chicago, but when similarly-intentioned actions back them, maybe we should be listening. Poles’ 15-36 record over his first three years as the team’s general manager can only be ignored for so long. With another losing season, would his job security be called into question? Much of that will depend on his contract situation, which the organization has continued to skate around. At least from what I’ve been told, he has not been extended and will enter a contract year in 2026. The time to prove his worth is now. Johnson isn’t going anywhere (any time soon), and his influence over the roster has been apparent.

There’s plenty of reason to believe the Bears are in “win now” mode. The most significant difference is roster construction. Former general manager Ryan Pace’s desperate attempt to salvage a one-year window led them to an aging, more expensive roster that lacked direction. For Poles and Johnson, the blueprint seems clear. Build the trenches and rely on your promising second-year quarterback to take the next step. With the right support staff around him, there are plenty of reasons to believe that’s possible, if not likely. The personnel around Caleb Williams are there. Don’t believe me? Just ask yourself the last time they’ve had this much talent on the offensive side of the football. The only glaring question mark might be running back. Of any position on the offensive depth chart that a team would need to be lacking, running back would probably be at the top of that list.

Even if the defense doesn’t project to be as dominant as it was in 2018, it’s a unit with more talent than it had a year ago and features one of the best defensive minds in the league. Allen’s scheme can compensate for a lack of talent in certain areas. Even if they’d be better off adding another pass rusher, fans should feel comfortable that their new defensive coordinator will be able to get the most out of this defense.

The Bears don’t have a glaring talent issue for the first time in recent memory. Are there holes? Absolutely. You’d be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of teams not dealing with similar issues, even if they are in different positions. There isn’t a single team in the league with a perfectly constructed roster. Chicago has found a way to blend proven veterans with a promising young core. If Williams lives up to his No. 1 overall billing, the sky’s the limit. This league has no greater value than a young team with a quarterback on a rookie contract. Being in Year 2 of that four-year window means the fun could just be getting started.

At a minimum, the goal should be a winning record in 2025. Regardless of the demanding schedule, the lead decision-makers have built this team to start winning in September. Neither should fans if the coaching staff and players aren’t running away from those expectations. Be cautious, certainly, but expect more from one of the charter franchises in the league that has built a roster capable of competing and beating most teams. The time to win in Chicago is now, and there’s no reason to expect Year 4 of this rebuild to be anything but positive.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...realistic-expectations-for-2025-chicago-bears