News Bears Team Notes

[Chicago Bears]

Mothballed Legacies: Unretiring Bears Uniforms Starting with the Number 7

Historian Jeff Berckes has another take on the Bears' retired jersey situation, and his plan involves George Halas’ number 7 going back in circulation to start the cycle.

The Chicago Bears have a league-leading fourteen numbers retired. I agree with my colleagues Jack Silverstein (The 50-Year Plan - Jack’s story is great and this builds upon it so read his first) and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. (It’s time for the Chicago Bears to unretire some jersey numbers), but I’m going to take it one step further:

The Chicago Bears should start with the number 7.

Mothballed Legacies​

Can you list all 14 retired jersey numbers? Can you name the man behind each number? Do you know why the franchise set aside that number?

If so, you’re in the minority. Reading through comments on Twitter and Windy City Gridiron from dedicated Bears fans has revealed a layer of dust on the legacies of some of these great gridiron legends.

Someone posted a screenshot of Bronko Nagurski’s stats through the lens of a 2025 football fan as if his legend wasn’t as tall as Paul Bunyan when he played.

Questioning Bronko F’ing Nagurski?!

I about died.

Football continues to evolve. Watch a game from the 1990s and tell me it’s the same game we’re watching today. I dare you. But that’s the beauty of covering this great game. Understanding the evolutions and history of football for how we went from leather helmets and playing games in the shadow of a circus to millions of people watching the 3-day NFL Draft while hundreds of thousands attend in person to watch names be called at a podium.

How can something so popular lose touch with those who built the foundation?

New Opportunity​

The Bears stated that Mike Ditka’s number 89 would be the last jersey they would retire. Ditka last played for the Bears in 1966. For a franchise steeped in history, ending the practice of retiring jerseys threatens to keep you stuck in the past and removes the ability to properly honor greatness of the current generation.

I propose that the Bears evolve their thinking when it comes to retired jerseys and use the opening of their new stadium as a catalyst to make it happen. As I write this, we don’t know if the stadium will be in Arlington Heights or along the lakeshore or some third location we haven’t heard of yet, but one day in the not-too-distant future, the Bears will open a new stadium.

Once inside, they will finally have an opportunity to introduce a Ring of Honor, a Chicago Bears-specific Hall of Fame of players and contributors. Let’s call it the “Den of Honor” because, well, Bears. In year 1 of the new stadium, they should induct one name and one name only:

George Halas.

How many Bears fans know the name George Halas? Probably quite a few. How many know his legacy, including his playing days, and even that he wore the number 7? I’d venture a much lower percentage.

So let’s take the opportunity to celebrate the full legacy of George Halas. Sell jerseys, create a series of giveaways at games, trot out picture opportunities with the giant Halas bobblehead - make it a celebration of all things George Halas.

Then, at the end of the season, put number 7 back in circulation. Throw a cool patch on it. Make it a thing.

If the Bears put George Halas’s number back in play (which, incidentally, was worn by another Hall of Fame player, Ed Sprinkle, in the 1940s and 50s, and worn as recently as 1984), they have the credibility to enact this plan. There is no “inner circle” of numbers, each man given that highest of honor is as deserving as the next.

Rolling Out the Numbers​

As the Bears continue with the Den of Honor, they can unretire several other numbers. Year two of the plan should feature Harold “Red” Grange, aka The Galloping Ghost and his famous number 77. Without Grange, the NFL likely does not gain legitimacy. Celebrate it the same way as the number 7 in year 1, then put it back in circulation.

Year 3 is for number 3 and Bronko Nagurski. Year 4 for Bill Hewitt and his number 56. Year 5 for the number 5 and George McAfee. Year 6 for Clyde “Bulldog” Turner’s 66, Year 7 for Sid Luckman’s 42, and so on as we work through the greats of yesteryear, reviving their stories.

Executing this plan and sequencing of numbers and celebrating legacies will eventually need to answer the question of “when is the right time?” In my opinion, retiring a jersey number should mean that number isn’t worn again as long as that player is alive (Jack suggested a 50-year clock). If the Bears agree, there’s probably a period of 10-20 years after a player’s death where the time could be right to bring that number back. In the case of someone like Walter Payton, who died at a young age with a legacy as bright and vibrant as any in NFL history, that “right time” might not be for quite a while.

However, I do think that at some point, it makes sense to bring back every number, including Payton’s 34. Ask yourself, in 30 years, how old will you be? I never got to really watch him play, even though I certainly understand his legacy, and in 30 years, I’ll be well into retirement. Will a Bears fan born today understand that legacy in 2055? Could they use the refresher celebration like many of us need on George McAfee today? This is, of course, not precluding the Bears from putting Payton in the Den of Honor as early as Year 2 and keeping the number retired for another generation. Or maybe 2034 is the year of Payton. This is more art than a hard and fast rule.

Odds and Ends​

I’ll note that opening a Den of Honor in a new stadium gives the Bears marketing team an amazing opportunity to celebrate the legacies of not just the retired jersey guys but the 32 players and contributors in the Hall of Fame (with significant contributions to the Bears) and great players not in Canton. Guys like Joe Fortunato, Ken Kavanaugh, Jay Hilgenberg, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Olin Kreutz, etc. that deserve recognition as an all-time great that may never see enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Den of Honor opens up opportunities for fan favorites like Robbie Gould, Pat Mannelly, and Tom Waddle to get their day in the sun.

It can be a time to celebrate the championships of old. Maybe 2032 is the 100-year celebration of the 1932 team, which is maybe the year to put Hall of Famer George Trafton into the Den of Honor. 100-year anniversary opportunities are right around the corner for the 1932, ‘33, ‘40, ‘41, ‘43, and ‘46 champions. All had many contributors deserving of Den of Honor inclusion.

By my estimation, the Den of Honor has at least 25-30 years of ceremonies and marketing built in from Day 1, by which time the current generation of players will all be long retired. It’s an amazing opportunity to lift history to the present and keep the memories of these great players alive.

All they have to do is start with the number 7.

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If you’d like to see the Chicago Bears enact some sort of plan to unretire jersey numbers, then sign the petition here.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...nge-bronko-nagurski-walter-payton-sid-luckman

 

[Chicago Bears]

Bears rookie Luther Burden III is a ‘candidate’ to return kicks and punts

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The Chicago Bears added a few veteran candidates to help in the return games this offseason, but when special teams coach Richard Hightower was asked about rookie Luther Burden III, he said he could also be in the mix.

“I see it as an ongoing competition, as we always have at the returner spot,” Hightower said, “so he’ll [Burden] be a candidate.”

It’s, of course, getting some play on social media, but it really was a very nonchalant response from Hightower as he went on to say that they’ll coach up several players to be ready just in case.

“Like I always tell you all, anybody that has a helmet on on gameday has a chance to return, so they’ll all be options back there, and our job is to get them trained.”

The Bears added former Detroit Lions practice squadder Maurice Alexander, six-year veteran Olamide Zaccheaus, and former Pro Bowl returner Devin Duvernay. They also brought back Travis Homer, who has kick return experience, and Josh Blackwell, who had a 94-yard punt return last year on a trick play.

But back to Burden, who had 24 punt returns in college, with one returned for a touchdown, Hightower called him “electric” and said, “He’s a different dude with the ball in his hands. All we’re looking for is playmakers that’ll help us change field position and win games, so that’s what I see in him, along with our other returners that we’ve acquired this offseason.”

Would you like to see Burden returning picks or punts in 2025?

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...-kicks-punts-devin-duvernay-richard-hightower

 

[Chicago Bears]

Chicago Bears: A Post-Draft 53-Man Roster Projection

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

With the 2025 NFL draft and rookie mini-camp in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take a look at what the Bears’ roster could look like in Week 1.

The 2025 NFL Draft and rookie mini-camps have concluded, and the fruits of each general manager’s offseason labor can be seen more clearly. For the Chicago Bears, it’s been another season of vast changes. It started with a brand new coaching staff, which led to significant changes in the trenches. The Bears have been the biggest “winners” in the NFC North for what feels like the third-straight offseason, but will it be enough to get them out of the cellar?

Let’s examine the Bears’ current roster more closely and consider what it might look like without any other significant moves heading into Week 1.

Quarterback (3): Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, and Case Keenum

After the conclusion of the 2024 regular season, it became apparent that not having a proven veteran leader in the quarterback room was a mistake. After hiring a new coaching staff and most of the free agent dust had settled, the Bears committed to surrounding Williams with the proper support system to succeed. Although it’s possible that they could opt to go with two quarterbacks once the regular season begins, the team still seems to value Bagent as the primary backup. Barring injury, this group appears set.

Practice Squad: Austin Reed

Running Back (4): D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, Kyle Munangai, Travis Homer

If you had asked me at the start of the offseason for an over/under on how many new names this group would have, I would have set the number at 1.5. It’s hard to imagine many scenarios where the Bears believed they would come out of the draft with just one seventh-round running back, yet here we are. This is one of the few areas left on the depth chart where the Bears could monitor potential veterans. This appears to be the group they’ll roll with unless Wheeler or Hankins surprises.

Practice Squad: Ian Wheeler

Tight End (3): Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland, and Durham Smythe

There’s a world where the team could choose to keep four names at the position, but considering the quality of these three at the top of the depth chart, that seems unlikely. Smythe will act as the primary blocker, while Kmet and Loveland split time as the primary tight end on the field. Fans can expect head coach Ben Johnson to run plenty of 12-personnel, but don’t be surprised if they bring Loveland along slowly at the start of the year until he proves he can handle a bigger workload.

Practice Squad: Stephen Carlson

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Wide Receiver (5): DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Devin Duvernay

It’s easy to see what Johnson’s vision is for this group, isn’t it? Speed, speed, and more speed. Three of the five names on this projection are players added over the last two months. Zaccheaus was their best slot option until Burden III was selected at No. 39. No, he’ll slide a spot back, which should provide the Bears with one of the deepest depth charts they’ve ever seen at this position. Odunze is due for a sophomore breakout, but Moore should still be the primary target that gets this group going. Assuming he’s still got “it”, Duvernay should be a welcomed special teams addition with his ability in the return game.

Practice Squad: Myles Boykin and J.P. Richardson

Offensive Line (10): Braxton Jones, Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson, Darnell Wright, Ryan Bates, Kiran Amegadjie, Ozzy Trapilo, Lance Newman, Bill Murray

For the first time in years, the Bears project to have an above-average offensive line. More importantly, they’ve got developmental depth and should be able to withstand some attrition. For now, I’m projecting Jones as the starting left tackle. Still, his recovery from a broken leg will significantly affect how many opportunities Amegadjie and/or Trapilo receive in the coming months. I’m not convinced they’ll keep 10 players, but it might be smart considering how big of a role injuries have played in recent years. If not, Murray is likely to be the odd man out.

Practice Squad: Ricky Stromberg, Theo Benedet, & Jordan McFadden

Defensive End (5): Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, Austin Booker, Daniel Hardy, and Dominique Robinson

Of any spot on the roster, this is the area where the Bears could focus one last free agent push. Despite giving a sizable contract to Odeyingbo in March, the depth behind the starting two is scarce. Booker would now be the first line of defense if an injury occurred. The good news: Plenty of quality veterans are still sitting on the market, and they could fill this need. Those names include Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Matthew Judon, and Shaq Barrett. This previews what this group could look like without a move.

Practice Squad: Xavier Carlton

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Defensive Tackle (5): Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings, Shemar Turner, Jonathan Ford

It’s been a while since the Bears have had this deep group on their defense’s interior. During this offseason alone, they’ve added Jarrett on a big free agent deal and Turner in the second round. In my estimation, this group is still missing another quality run-stuffer behind Billings, but Ford is a bigger body that could help fill that void if needed. Despite giving restricted free agent Chris Williams a $3.26 million tender in early March, the deal has no guaranteed money, and he’ll likely be a cap casualty without a considerable pay cut. Don’t be surprised to see them add another nose tackle before Week 1.

Practice Squad: Zacch Pickens

Linebacker (5): Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Noah Sewell, Amen Ogbongbemiga, and Ruben Hyppolite

Despite not tendering Jack Sanborn as a restricted free agent and letting him walk in free agency, the Bears have done little to add another linebacker. Hyppolite was a fourth-round pick, but most draft analysts had him as an undrafted free agent. On paper, this looks like a group who could use another steady name, but so far, the team’s actions have said otherwise. Swayze Bozeman could be in line for a bigger role after spending his rookie season in Kansas City. For now, he’s projected to land on the practice squad.

Practice Squad: Swayze Bozeman

Cornerback (6): Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, Terell Smith, Josh Blackwell, and Zah Frazier

The team’s strongest positional group somehow became even stronger this offseason. Chicago locked up Gordon on a three-year extension and added Frazier in the fifth round of last month’s draft. Barring something unexpected, this looks like a group set in stone, especially with their two-year investment of backup nickel and core special-teamer, Blackwell.

Practice Squad: Nahshon Wright and Nick McCloud

Safety (4): Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Jonathan Owens, and Elijah Hicks

On the surface, this group is set for 2025, especially with no significant changes to the depth chart. If 2025 is the only focus, then sure. If not, there’s still some work to do in 2026 and beyond. None of the names projected on this depth chart are under contract beyond this season. For now, we’ll wait and see.

Practice Squad: Tarvarius Moore and Alex Cook

Special Teams (3): K Cairo Santos, P Tory Taylor, and LS Scott Daly

Barring a change at kicker or long snapper (the latter being more likely), this group is set for another year. The Bears opted to move on from veteran long snapper Patrick Scales in favor of Daly, who is five years younger. Santos should receive some competition throughout camp, but it’ll take a convincing performance to unseat Santos, who has been one of the more accurate kickers in the league over the last handful of seasons.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...b-williams-rome-odunze-joe-thuney-ben-johnson

 

[Chicago Bears]

Amazon announces Bears at Eagles on Black Friday!

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

The NFL and Amazon have announced the Bears will be playing on Black Friday!

Earlier today, we found out that the Green Bay Packers will be in Chicago on December 20th to face the Chicago Bears for a standalone Saturday game.

A few hours later, we learned that the Chicago Bears will be playing a standalone game on Thanksgiving weekend, but not in the traditional Thanksgiving spot against the Lions.

Black Friday Football runs through Philly

Bears. Eagles. Only on Prime. pic.twitter.com/rWqRUml187

— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) May 12, 2025​

The Chicago Bears will be in Philadelphia on November 28th (Black Friday) to face the Eagles. Amazon announced this matchup during their upfronts on Monday evening.

Obviously, this game will be a challenging one for the Bears, facing the defending Super Bowl champions on the road with the eyes of the nation on the game.

The NFL sees the Bears as a team on the rise. You can expect an increase in their primetime and standalone games this season.

To follow along with all the rumors and announcements as we march towards the schedule release, make sure to check the 2025 Chicago Bears Schedule Release Tracker here.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...-bears-at-philadelphia-eagles-on-black-friday

 

[Chicago Bears]

Luther Burden’s versatility out of the slot makes him dangerous

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Taylor Doll talks with Eli Hoff, who covers the University of Missouri for the St Louis Post-Dispatch and KTRS 550AM, about Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III.

On her latest Making Monsters podcast, Taylor Doll chats with Mizzou football beat reporter and insider Eli Hoff, from the St Louis Post-Dispatch and KTRS 550AM, about Chicago Bears rookie Luther Burden III. Hoff covered Burden’s three years at the University of Missouri, so they discuss where he fits best on the field, some of the pre-draft concerns with his personality and work ethic, plus his place in the crowded receiver room in Chicago.

Hoff tells Taylor that Burden was moved to the slot as a sophomore because they wanted to be able to get the ball to him as much as possible, plus that was the position he seemed best suited for in the NFL.

At Chicago’s recent rookie minicamp, it was reported that Burden was working out of the slot, and that does appear to be where he’ll begin his career, something Hoff agrees with.

“I think just given his build, that makes a lot of sense,” he said on the podcast. “You know, the ability as someone who you can move around in terms of motioning him and jet sweeps. That was always something Mizzou liked to do. You could line him up in the back field — I think I’d seen going into the draft a lot of comparisons to Debo Samuel, and I’m not sure that’s that’s perfect, but I think if that’s sort of what you envision for what his best role could be at the NFL, I think that’s as good a baseline as we’ve seen, but again, Ben Johnson’s a great offensive mind and we’ll have to see what he comes up with.”

Check out her show in either of the embeds below for the entire interview with Eli.

Podcast version:​

YouTube version:​

Our 2nd City Gridiron Podcast Channel is available on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, Audacy, and other popular podcast platforms, so be sure to hit subscribe wherever you get your audio. Our YouTube home is also called 2nd City Gridiron, so subscribe there for our podcasts and other video content.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...-slot-makes-him-dangerous-mizzou-missouri-nfl

 

[Chicago Bears]

Chicago Bears 2025 Schedule Release: News, Leaks, and Rumor Tracker

Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

We’ll track all the Chicago Bears schedule leaks here!

The NFL makes a huge deal out of Schedule Release Day each year, and the 2025 slate will be dropped on Wednesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. CT on NFL Network, NFL.com, the NFL app, and NFL+. However, the releases will officially start today, as the league lets their broadcast partners announce some of their games.

• On Monday, we got announcements of games from FOX, Amazon’s Prime Video, and NBC’s TODAY Show.
• Yesterday (Tuesday), ESPN via Good Morning America will share some, and the NFL’s International Games will be announced on Good Morning Football on the NFL Network. (The Bears don’t play any road games against a team scheduled to play internationally.)
• Today (Wednesday), Netflix and CBS Mornings will announce some more games.

If the Chicago Bears get any of these early announcements, we’ll share them in the tracker below. We’ll also share some of the key games from around the league in a tracker below the Bears’ tracker.

Also, at some point, local and national reporters will have some inside sources feeding them games, and if any rumored Bears games are leaked, those will also go in the tracker.

Our partners at FanDuel have been holding steady with Chicago’s win total at 8.5. They currently have Chicago with the longest odds to win the NFL North at +500, and if you think they’ll make the playoffs, you can get that at +164. If you have them winning the NFC, you can get that at +1900, but if you’re feeling really lucky, you can get the Bears to win the Super Bowl at +3500. There are several player props as well, so hit up our partners at FanDuel if you plan to dabble in a few wagers for the 2025 season.

The Bears will have another fun schedule release video ready to drop right around the time of the league’s official announcement on Wednesday night, but thanks to social media leaks, we should have the entire 18-week slate figured out before then.

While you’re waiting for all the game day specifics, here are Chicago’s 2025 opponents.

HOME: Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New Orleans Saints

AWAY: Packers, Lions, Vikings, Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders, and the San Francisco 49ers

Remember that unless the NFL announces the game, these are all to be considered rumors until the league makes it official. Also, some of these are my educated guesses based on the schedule leaks from the other teams the Bears are playing.

Preseason​

Week 1 -

Week 2 -

Week 3 -

Regular Season​

Week 1 - There are a few rumors about Bears vs Vikings week 1

Week 2 -

Week 3 -

Week 4 -

Week 5 -

Week 6 -

Week 7 -

Week 8 -

Week 9 -

Week 10 -

Week 11 -

Week 12 -

Week 13 - Black Friday, November 28: Bears at Philadelphia on Amazon Prime Video (confirmed)

Week 14 -

Week 15 -

Week 16 - Saturday, December 20: Packers at Bears on FOX (late afternoon game) (confirmed)

Week 17 - Bears at Commanders on Christmas Day?

Week 18 -

Once the specifics are announced for the Bears’ games, we’ll share the dates, times, and channel information in a new article, so stay tuned!

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Key NFL Games for the 2025 Season​

• Week 10 will see the Eagles in Green Bay for Monday Night Football.
• International games below, including the Vikes playing in two countries in back-to-back weeks.

The 2025 international slate!

: NFL Schedule Release — Wednesday 8pm ET on NFLN/ESPN2
: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/PFBwbjG1m0

— NFL (@NFL) May 13, 2025​

• The Denver Broncos vs the Kansas City Chiefs will close out a Christmas Day tripleheader on Amazon Prime.
• With the Eagles at the Commanders also on Saturday, December 20, and with the Bears and Eagles on Black Friday, that means the Bears in Washington on Christmas Day is likely.
• The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles will host the Dallas Cowboys to open the 2025 NFL season on Thursday, September 4.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...packers-lions-vikings-steelers-cowboys-giants

 

[Chicago Bears]

Official 2025 Chicago Bears schedule

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

We’ve known most of it for a few hours but here it is. Officially. With the official team-created announcement.

Get your phone out, send the holiday-planning texts and start looking at flights and hotels. The Chicago Bears schedule is here.

We knew the opponents, heck we’ve known a few of the match ups for days and hours at this point, but this is it officially.

Over the past few years, the schedule release has become an unnecessary circus. But it is fun to see how the franchises' social media teams make their release videos.

The Bears included Chicago-native actor Lamorne Morris (Emmy-winner of Fargo and New Girl fame) in their announcement this year (link not embeddable for some reason).

For immediate release: pic.twitter.com/cXC10lLZs2

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 15, 2025​

Pre-season:

Week 1 - vs. Miami Dolphins, TBD
Week 2 - Sunday, Aug. 17 vs. Buffalo Bills, 7 p.m. on FOX
Week 3 - Friday, Aug. 22 at Kansas City Chiefs, 7:20 p.m.

Now, here is the official schedule (all times central):

• Week 1 - Monday, Sept. 8 - vs. Minnesota Vikings, 7:15 p.m. Monday Night Football, ESPN/ABC
• Week 2 - Sunday, Sept. 14 - at Detroit Lions, noon, FOX
• Week 3 - Sunday, Sept. 21 - vs. Dallas Cowboys, 3:25 p.m., FOX
• Week 4 - Sept. 28 - at Las Vegas Raiders, 3:25 p.m., CBS
• Week 5 - Sunday, Oct. 5 - BYE
• Week 6 - Monday, Oct. 13 - at Washington Commanders, 7:15 p.m. Monday Night Football, ESPN/ABC
• Week 7 - Sunday, Oct. 19 - vs. New Orleans Saints, noon, FOX
• Week 8 - Sunday, Oct. 26 - at Baltimore Ravens, noon, CBS
• Week 9 - Sunday, Nov. 2 - at Cincinnati Bengals, noon, CBS
• Week 10 - Sunday, Nov. 9 - vs. New York Giants, noon, FOX
• Week 11 - Nov. 16 - at Minnesota Vikings, noon, FOX
• Week 12 - Nov. 23 - vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, noon, CBS
• Week 13 - Friday, Nov. 28 - at Philadelphia Eagles - 2 p.m., Amazon Prime
• Week 14 - Dec. 7 - at Green Bay Packers, noon, FOX
• Week 15 - Dec. 14 - vs. Cleveland Browns, noon, FOX
• Week 16 - Saturday, Dec. 20 - vs. Green Bay Packers Time TBD, FOX
• Week 17 - Sunday, Dec. 28 - at San Francisco 49ers, 7:20 p.m., Sunday Night Football, NBC (subject to flex scheduling)
• Week 18 - Saturday, Jan. 3 or Sunday, Jan. 4 - vs. Detroit Lions, Time and TV TBD
• Playoffs? - Wildcard weekend starts Jan. 11

How many wins are the Bears getting this year?

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Join Ryan Droste and Bryan Orenchuk for a Bears Over Beers tonight, where they’ll discuss the NFL Schedule!

Our friends at Vivid Seats are running a promo for our readers: use the code SBN30BEARS and get $30 off your first Vivid Seats order of $300 or more (new customers only, $300 minimum before taxes & fees).

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...nday-thursday-sunday-night-football-green-bay

 

[Chicago Bears]

NFL odds 2025: Bears open as a 1.5 favorite vs Vikings on Monday Night

Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

Now that we have an actual NFL schedule to overanalyze, we also have a whole set of week one game lines to think about way too early, but that’s all part of the fun! It’s a good snapshot to see exactly how the oddsmakers view teams after a busy offseason.

We already knew our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook had both the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings with a win total of 8.5 for the 2025 season, and with these two teams matched up in week one in prime time on Monday Night Football, FanDuel set the early line at +1.5 for the Bears with a point total of 45.5.

They view this as a relatively close game, as Chicago's second-year quarterback Caleb Williams will attempt to execute head coach Ben Johnson’s offense for the first time. The Vikings should have their own second-year quarterback trying to work successfully in his NFL offense for the first time, as J.J. McCarthy seems set to make his debut after missing all of his rookie year with a knee injury.

Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell is 5-1 in his career against the Bears, but that was when he matched wits with Matt Eberflus.

Let’s factor in some of what Ben Johnson did in Detroit when calling plays against Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores. In four games, Johnson’s offense averaged 389 yards per game, with the Lions winning all four, averaging 30.5 points per game. Now, the players in Chicago are certainly different, but the minds behind the offensive and defensive schemes remain.

The Bears lost both matchups last year, but rookie QB Caleb Williams wasn’t put in a blender as so many young quarterbacks are when facing a Flores defense. In his two games, Williams completed 64.1% of his passes for 531 yards, three touchdowns, and a passer rating of 96.7. He was also pressured a lot by Flores’ blitz packages, and he was sacked five times.

The Bears made a concerted effort to improve the pass protection, not only by bolstering the trenches but also by hiring a play caller who can put his quarterback in situations with hot reads and blitz beaters.

I know it's early, but give me the Bears to win, to cover the 1.5 spread, and for the over to hit.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...gs-on-monday-night-caleb-williams-ben-johnson

 

[Chicago Bears]

Bear Bones: Diving into the Chicago Bears' 2025 Schedule

Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

Join our Bear Bones LIVE at 5:30 (CT) on the 2nd City Gridiron YouTube channel as the fellas dive into the 2025 schedule!

We’ve all had some time to reflect on the 2025 Chicago Bears schedule, so how are you feeling after sleeping on it? Do you like how the games are laid out? Are you cool with an early bye? What are your thoughts on the two Packers games in three weeks? Do you like a prime time opener?

Join Dr. Mason West’s latest Bear Bones with both Danny Meehan and Khari Thompson joining tonight as they dive into the schedule. You can watch in the video below at 5:30 p.m. CT, or visit our YouTube channel and hang out with the fellas and fire some thoughts and questions at them.

Once the podcast version is available, we’ll share it here:

Our 2nd City Gridiron Podcast Channel is available on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, Audacy, and other popular podcast platforms, so hit subscribe wherever you get your audio. Our YouTube home is also called 2nd City Gridiron, so subscribe there for our pods and other video content.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...hicago-bears-2025-schedule-nfl-caleb-williams

 

[Chicago Bears]

2025 Chicago Bears: Game by Game Predictions

Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

How will the Bears do in 2025? Look no further, totally accurate predictions!

The Chicago Bears schedule is out! It won’t be easy, there are plenty of tough games on the schedule, but there’s still plenty of optimism amongst the Bears fan base with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, that this team is going to win some games and push for a playoff spot.

How will they do? Look no further, here are your nearly perfect predictions for the Bears this season.

Week One- Chicago Bears 19, Minnesota Vikings 13 (MNF) 1-0​

The Ben Johnson era gets off to a bang by winning their first game of the season against the division rival Vikings. The Bears aren’t a well-oiled machine, but JJ McCarthy struggles in his NFL debut. It’s a battle of field goals, and the Bears' lone touchdown comes on a jet sweep from rookie Luther Burden in his NFL debut.

Week Two- Chicago Bears 26, Detroit Lions 24 2-0​

Ben Johnson is extra motivated to win this one, and his team responds with a dramatic victory. The Bears lead 23 to 17, Jared Goff leads the Lions down and scores a touchdown with just under two minutes remaining. But Caleb Williams does what he needs to do, he leads the team down to the 25-yard line, Cairo Santos comes out and drills a 42-yard field goal dead center, and the Bears get out of Detroit with a two-point victory. Caleb Williams throws his first touchdown pass of the season, this one to Rome Odunze, and Roschon Johnson adds a score on the ground.

Week Three- Chicago Bears 27, Dallas Cowboys 17 3-0​

The hype train leaves the station as the Bears start 3-0 after defeating the Cowboys. The Bears jump out to a lead in the first off and keep the lead comfortable for most of the game. Caleb Williams looks sharp, throwing three touchdowns in this one, spreading the love to Oduzne, DJ Moore, and Cole Kmet. The Bears' offense looked a little choppy in the first two games of the season, but this is the game where you start seeing Ben Johnson’s offensive vision for Williams and the Bears.

Week Four- Las Vegas Raiders 19, Chicago Bears 16 3-1​

The hype train only makes it one station down the tracks before it stalls out a little bit. Yes, this game was on the road, but fans and media expect the Bears to win this one, but they just don’t deliver. The Bears' offense regresses, and the passing game is largely ineffective. D’Andre Swift largely carries the offense as the new and improved offensive line has a strong game, and the Bears largely control the game with the run game, but they just don’t score enough points. Caleb has his worst game of the year, throwing two interceptions and barely completing 50% of his passes.

Week Five- BYE​

After that Raiders game, it’s a nice break for Chicago, albeit a little too early.

Week Six- Washington Commanders 26, Chicago Bears 23 OT (MNF) 3-2​

It’s the Fail Mary revenge game, and this one lives up to the hype. Jayden Daniels and Williams both play well and really start pushing the new rivalry in the NFL, Washington vs Chicago. 60 minutes wasn’t enough to settle this one. This game heads to overtime, and after a couple of ineffective drives on both sides, Jayden Daniels makes a few great plays and gets the Commanders in field goal range, and they win this one, improving their record to 2-0 vs Chicago in the Jayden vs Caleb era.

Week Seven- Chicago Bears 34, New Orleans Saints 13 4-2​

As the late great Keith Jackson would say, “Whoah Nellie!” The Bears absolutely pummel the Saints in this one. The offense hums. Dennis Allen’s defense against his old team hums. Tyler Shough is completely confused by Allen’s disguised looks, and Caleb Williams dices up the Saints defense, throwing for over 300 yards and three scores, and the 4-2 Bears are looking like the real deal in the NFC.

Week Eight- Baltimore Ravens 21, Chicago Bears 17 4-3​

On the road in Baltimore, the Bears put up quite a fight, but couldn’t quite do enough to take out the Super Bowl-contending Ravens. In a fun Lamar Jackson vs Caleb Williams matchup, both QBs play well, but don’t light the world on fire. Both defenses play strongly on third down and keep the offense mostly limited. Derrick Henry has a big day on the ground, and Jackson and Henry, in the end, prove to be too much.

Week Nine- Chicago Bears 38, Cincinnati Bengals 34 5-3​

The Bengals defense looks like it did in 2024, and this one is an offensive shootout. Joe Burrow has a typical massive performance, but Caleb Williams matches him score for score. Williams leads the Bears down for a touchdown with just a few minutes remaining. Burrow responds, leading the Bengals into the red zone, but needing a touchdown, the Bengals fail to convert on fourth down, and the Bears win this one. Williams throws for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns, arguably the greatest game of his career, and the Bears continue to prove that they aren’t a fluke.

Week Ten- Chicago Bears 33, New York Giants 19 6-3​

The Bears go over 30 points for the third time in four games. Jaxson Dart in just his second career start struggles at times and turns the ball over three times. The Bears offense looks sharp. They have a strong performance on the group, despite the Giants strong front four and Caleb does just enough and the Bears cruise to a comfortable win.

Week Eleven- Minnesota Vikings 24, Chicago Bears 20 6-4​

The Bears, looking to push their record to 7-3, fall a little short in this one. McCarthy plays much better than he did in week one and leads the Vikings to a win with a couple of scores. Williams plays just as effectively, but the KOC gets the best of Dennis Allen in this one, and the Vikings come out on top.

Week Twelve- Chicago Bears 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 20 7-4​

Ahhhh, this one feels good. Too close for comfort, but a win is a win. The Bears win this one at the buzzer. The game is tied at 20, Aaron Rodgers is leading the Steelers down for a potential game-winning field goal, but Rodgers doesn’t see Kyler Gordon, Gordon picks off Rodgers. Caleb and the offense come out, march down the field, and kick the game-winning field goal. After owning the Bears, Rodgers final game at Soldier Field is remembered for a crippling interception that led to a game winning score for the Bears. Life is good.

Week Thirteen- Philadelphia Eagles 30, Chicago Bears 13 (Black Friday) 7-5​

The Bears head to Philadelphia for a stand-alone game against the defending Super Bowl champions, and the Bears show they aren’t quite ready for primetime. The Eagles handle the Bears pretty easily. Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts keep the Bears defense off balance, and Vic Fangio makes Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams' lives really difficult.

Week Fourteen- Green Bay Packers 27, Chicago Bears 24 7-6​

The Bears head to Green Bay as Caleb Williams hopes to remain undefeated at Lambeau, but his Lambeau winning streak ends at one. The Bears play well, but Jordan Love and the Packers match them. This is anybody’s game in the fourth quarter, but the Bears can’t convert on their chances, and the Packers cling to this one and take down the Bears.

Week Fifteen- Chicago Bears 27, Cleveland Browns 10 8-6​

This one wasn’t competitive. The Bears easily take down Shedeur Sanders (You heard me) and the Browns. The Bears are up 20 to nothing at halftime and cruise in the second half. Caleb Williams throws two first-half touchdowns, both to Colston Loveland, and the Browns are just no challenge for the Bears, who get back to their winning ways.

Week Sixteen- Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 16 (Saturday) 9-6​

If we’re being honest, this is really a lame part of the schedule that the Bears play the Packers twice in 13 days. Luckily, this time the Bears have more success and win this one comfortable. Love throws two interceptions and Caleb throws for three touchdowns. Rome Odunze has his best game of the year and the Bears win this one as a huge confidence builder as they look poised to make the playoffs.

Week Seventeen- Chicago Bears 26, San Francisco 49ers 20 (SNF) 10-6​

The Bears clinch a playoff spot with this one. The 49ers haven’t been a dominant team this year, but they give the Bears a game, but the Bears are rolling and win this one. Caleb Williams throws another two touchdowns and, more importantly, he crosses 3800 yards passing in this one, which means he needs less than 200 yards in the final week of the season to become the first Chicago Bears quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards.

Week Eighteen- Detroit Lions 23, Chicago Bears 20 (OT) 10-7​

The Bears can win the division with a win but the Lions, after a slow start to the season have come on and can also win the division with a win in this one (depending on what the Packers do). NBC puts this one on Sunday Night Football, and they aren’t disappointed when this one goes to overtime. The Chicago Bears, unfortunately, come up short in this one, but Caleb throws for nearly 300 yards and does in fact hit the 4,000 yard barrier.

Wild Card- Chicago Bears 27, Green Bay Packers 23​

The Bears, Packers, and Lions all finish the year with a 10-7 record after a year of the NFC North just beating each other up all season long. The Packers win the tiebreaker in this one and have the home game, but the Bears win a playoff game at Lambeau Field, and there’s a petition to erect a statue of Ben Johnson immediately. The Bears win a playoff game for the first time in well over a decade and advance to the Divisional Round.

Divisional Round- Philadelphia Eagles 27, Chicago Bears 20​

The Bears play a far more competitive game than they did Thanksgiving weekend, but they still come up short against the NFC’s best team. The Bears finish the season with an 11-8 record and are poised to make a leap in 2026 to become one of the NFC’s elite teams.

---

Notable Statistics:​

Caleb Williams 348-528, 65.9%, 4,065 yards, 28 passing touchdowns, 3 rushing touchdowns, 9 interceptions

DJ Moore 89 catches, 997 yards, 8 TDs
Rome Odunze 78 catches, 1029 yards, 6 TDs
Cole Kmet 59 catches, 615 yards, 5 TDs
Colston Loveland 51 catches, 558 yards, 4 TDs
Luther Burden 44 catches, 550 yards, 3 TDs (and one rushing)
D’Andre Swift 1480 yards from scrimmage, 8 TDs

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...hedule-chicago-bears-game-by-game-predictions

 

[Chicago Bears]

What is the best game on the Chicago Bears schedule?

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Check out what a few of our team had to say about the Bears 2025 schedule in our latest roundtable series.

We’re kicking off a 2025 Chicago Bears schedule roundtable over the next few days, and topic number one is:

What is the best game on the schedule?

“Best” could mean something different to everyone, so whatever your reasoning, give us your answer in the comment section after checking out what our team had to say.

Bryan Orenchuk: The best game on the schedule has to be Monday night after our BYE against the Commanders on the road. Two young promising teams led by last year's Rookie of the Year and the #1 overall pick. It should be the NFC’s version of Chiefs vs. Bills for years to come.

Josh Sunderbruch: Best game on the schedule is Week 1, because it means Bears football is back.

TJ Starman: I’d like to pick a divisional game, but I don’t like the timing of them paired with the unpredictability of the NFC North going into this season. So with that in mind, I have to go with Week 6 at Washington on Monday Night Football. You know, a lot of the guys in the locker room will have that one circled after last year, and coming off the bye, it’ll be a good benchmark game too on prime time.

Jeff “JB” Berckes: Bears head to the land of milk and Spotted Cow to take on That Team Up North the first week of December to deliver a fatal blow to their season? Let’s go!

Sam Householder: It’s week six at Washington. Everyone is going to see last year’s play over and over that week, we’re going to hear all about it, yes. But by week 6, teams are rounding into form, they have their identity, and things start to get real. It’s the perfect spot for a test against a playoff team from last season.

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.: I’ve been envisioning what Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams would look like together for a long time now, so the best game on the schedule is the Monday Night opener against the Vikings, where we finally get to see it.

Dr. Mason West: For me, it is the Monday night game at Washington after the bye. Bears have been terrible after bye weeks forever, and they got embarrassed with the Fail Mary. I appreciate Daniels as a talent, but I need Caleb to reclaim the crown as the best quarterback from that draft. Bears can really set the narrative with a win there.

Check out Mason’s latest Bear Bones for some more Bears schedule talk.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...-schedule-2025-nfl-packers-commanders-vikings

 

[Chicago Bears]

What is the hardest stretch of games on the Chicago Bears’ schedule?

Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

It’s topic two of our Bears 2025 schedule roundtable series

We continue our Chicago Bears roundtable series about their 2025 schedule, and here’s question number two.

What is the hardest stretch of games on the Chicago Bears’ schedule?

Give us your answer after checking out what we had to say here.

Jeff “JB” Berckes: A stretch is at least three games, so for me it’s at Vikings, home against the Steelers, at Eagles, at Green Bay. It’s also in the third quarter of the season when this team should have the kinks ironed out. That’ll be a great stretch to cover.

TJ Starman: Weeks 11 - 14 looks to be the toughest to me with at Minnesota, home vs Pittsburgh, at Philadelphia, and at Green Bay all looking like realistic losses in the thick of the season.

Josh Sunderbruch: Week 11 to Week 14 seems brutal, with three away games including the defending champs and two divisional rivals.

Sam Householder: There are two stretches that concern me: Nov. 16 to Dec. 7 when they go at MIN, vs. PIT, at PHI and at GB, but don’t sleep on the Oct. 19 to Nov. 9 stretch with two bad teams (NO, NYG) on either side of two playoff-caliber teams (CIN, BAL). We’ve seen Bears teams screw up spots like that in the past and have it derail a season.

Dr. Mason West: The Bears have seven away games between weeks 4 and 14. There are very winnable games in there, but the travel can be brutal.

Bryan Orenchuk: Weeks 13-18 are the hardest stretch for me. On the road against defending champs and rival Packers to start and finish with a second Packers game, road game Sunday night against 49ers, and close out against defending NFCN champ Lions will make or break our season, IMO.

Ryan Droste: It starts in week 13. At Philadelphia on short rest, followed by at Green Bay on Sunday Night Football the following week. Then they get what should be a win against the Browns before finishing with the Packers, 49ers, and Lions. Brutal.

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.: I think the Bears could be feeling pretty good about themselves after the first four weeks, so how they maintain focus following the bye in Washington starts a tough stretch. After the Commanders is the Saints, which could be a trap game, because a trip to Baltimore follows, and then in week nine, they’re in Cincinnati.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...bears-schedule-ravens-vikings-eagles-steelers

 

[Chicago Bears]

Open Thread Question of the Day: Which Game is a Must Win for the 2025 Season?

Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images

Now that you’ve had time to look over the schedule, which game jumps out as a must win for the 2025 Chicago Bears?

Looking over the Chicago Bears 2025 schedule, which game would you most categorize as a “Must-Win?”

Here’s a refresher on the 2025 slate of games.

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Week 1: vs. Minnesota Vikings (Monday Night Football)​

Week 2: @ Detroit Lions​

Week 3: vs. Dallas Cowboys​

Week 4: @ Las Vegas Raiders​

Week 5: BYE​

Week 6: @ Washington Commanders (Monday Night Football)​

Week 7: vs. New Orleans Saints​

Week 8: @ Baltimore Ravens​

Week 9: @ Cincinnati Bengals​

Week 10: vs. New York Giants​

Week 11: @ Minnesota Vikings​

Week 12: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers​

Week 13: @ Philadelphia Eagles (Black Friday)​

Week 14: @ Green Bay Packers​

Week 15: vs. Cleveland Browns​

Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers (Saturday)​

Week 17: @ San Francisco 49ers (Sunday Night Football)​

Week 18: vs. Detroit Lions​

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In my eyes, no game fits this label more than week 6 against the Washington Commanders.

Kara Durrette/Getty Images
Montez Sweat had one of his better performances of the season against his former team, but the Bears came up short against the Commanders last season.

We all know what happened last time these two teams played, so avenging the “Fail Mary” should be a huge priority for these Bears. When you also consider it is the first game out of the BYE, against a Conference opponent, and will be nationally televised on Monday Night Football, this one gets my vote. Not only will they need to win these types of games against strong opponents to make the playoffs, but the confidence gained from a victory against such an opponent in prime time will be paramount as they prepare for the final stretch of the season, which concludes with four NFC games in the last five weeks. Winning on the road against a playoff team will be huge.

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What about you? Which game is a “Must-Win” in your eyes? Chime in below!​

And if you haven't already, check out our recent Bears Over Beers episode where Ryan Droste, Jacob Infante, and I dissect the schedule and make predictions!

Head to the comments section to leave your answer and join the conversation! You can sign up for a commenting account here, and we have moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines and keep the trolls away.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...liams-jayden-daniels-ben-johnson-montez-sweat

 

[Chicago Bears]

If you could go to one Bears road game, which would it be?

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We’re up to question three in our latest Bears roundtable...

Next up in our Chicago Bears roundtable series is this question:

If you could go to one road game on the schedule, which would be your favorite?

Give us your answer after checking out what we had to say here.

Jeff “JB” Berckes: I’d go to Philly. Always cool to see the torch getting passed from the defending SB champion to the new team to beat...plus, I’m always down for a good cheesesteak.

TJ Starman: I actually was fortunate enough to see the Bears win in Vegas previously, which was a fantastic experience. But aside from that, San Francisco in the holiday season doesn’t sound like a bad sell!

Josh Sunderbruch: It’s a sentimental answer, I know, but my brother lives in Baltimore these days. I’d love to catch a game with him.

Sam Householder: A lot of people are going to say Vegas, but I’m not really a Vegas guy at this point in my life. Give me Philadelphia. I’ve never been to Philly, they’re the Super Bowl Champs, and it’s a historic city. I wouldn’t sleep on Cinci though, nice city, and I love watching Joe Burrow play.

Dr. Mason West: Viva Las Vegas Baby!

Bryan Orenchuk: This is a tough one. If I could attend one road game, it would have to be Ben’s return to Detroit in week 2. I expect both teams to be 1-0 with all the confidence in the world. It would be electric to see how he’s received by fans and how the players respond on both sides. That said, I don’t think we win that one, so my official vote is week 6 at Washington.

Ryan Droste: Vegas is always a blast and Allegiant Stadium will likely feel like Soldier Field West. But I’d also have to pick the Monday night game against the Commanders coming off the bye week. There is going to be a ton of hype coming into that game and the Bears needs to redeem themselves after the debacle against Washington last year. I think they get it done and it would be a fun one to see live.

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.: I used to go about once a year in my younger days, so I would love to get back to Las Vegas. Watch the Bears win, play a few games, and enjoy some incredible eats.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...would-it-be-philadelphia-las-vegas-cincinnati

 

[Chicago Bears]

Chicago Bears Open Thread Question of the Day: Which Bear would be the best Pope?

Photo by Abigail Dean/Getty Images

As if Chicagoans needed any more evidence that it’s the best city in the world - native Chicagoan Robert Prevost was elected next Pope. It got us thinking about which Bear could do the job...

The Pope is a Bear! And no, I am not talking about 2006 undrafted rookie RB P.J. Pope.

Pope mania has swept over Chicagoland as one of our own has risen to the top of the Vatican. In case you aren’t social media savvy, the last week has seen an immense amount of Chicago/Pope crossovers:

A new Pope from Chicago needs a true Chicago introduction... pic.twitter.com/ZwtLzbv7hu

— Ben Heisler (@bennyheis) May 8, 2025​

chicago style hotdog: pope edition pic.twitter.com/5f8WX8kWTP

— Dr. Doug (smells great) (@RaptorBreath) May 9, 2025​

Sacred Chicago Rat Hole https://t.co/N2mQgk1N47 pic.twitter.com/Wsuiai1voW

— Pope Crave (@ClubConcrave) May 11, 2025​

Welp, the Pope is from Chicago. Communion is about to get a whole lot better. pic.twitter.com/L3R5345yAF

— Derek Morgan (@mtcderek) May 8, 2025​

Memes aside - you can feel Chicago’s pride every time our city rises to the national stage. An opportunity for us to promote our food, culture, music, and sports teams.

While the Pope is already famously known to be a White Sox fan, I think it’s safe to say he’s a Bears fan as well.

Which got us thinking...being the Pope requires one to be humble, courageous, wise, and capable of connecting with people from a diversity of backgrounds.

Who from the Chicago Bears has these qualities, and therefore would make the best Pope?

Wisdom? I would not consider anyone with fewer than 5 years of NFL experience. That leaves 28 players on the roster ranging from Case Keenum (13 years) to Drew Dalman (5 years).

Courage? A few players players on this team know a little something about that. Grady Jarrett, Joe Thuney, and Kyler Gordon have all won the Ed Block Courage Award.

Humble? I’d say anyone who has been nominated by their team to be Walter Payton Man of the Year would qualify as needing to be humble. Jaylon Johnson, Andrew Billings, and Grady Jarrett have all won the award.

And finally - who of the Bears is capable of connecting with people of diverse backgrounds? This may be a difficult one to quantify, but I am looking for players who have been team captains in the past. Some team captains include Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards, Jaylon Johnson, Kevin Byard, and Grady Jarrett.

I don’t know about you, but there is a clear choice here. It’s Grady Jarrett. A wise vet, who has done ample community service for at risk children and teens, and a charismatic leader recognized by his peers.

Grady Jarrett is my Pope.

Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...-of-the-day-which-bear-would-be-the-best-pope

 

[Chicago Bears]

Five Bears players entering make-or-break years

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

WCG’s lead draft analyst looks into five Bears players heading into crucial 2025 campaigns.

With a new coaching staff in place and several new contributors in the fold, the Bears are a different team from how they looked in 2024.

Whether or not that results in wins remains to be seen. Regardless, such a broad change across the organization certainly shakes up the status quo.

There are various reasons a player can enter a season with a little extra to prove. Impending contract extensions, easy ways out of their contract or a lackluster start to one’s career could all be valid reasons to dub this upcoming year as a “make-or-break” campaign for a specific player.

We’ll take a look at five players on the Bears this might apply to. An honorable mention goes to Braxton Jones, who is slated to hit free agency after the 2025 season. I didn’t include him since it feels likely he’ll get a large contract; it’s just a matter of whether or not that deal comes from Chicago.

D’Andre Swift​

Rumors ran rampant about the Bears potentially trading up to draft Ashton Jeanty, who ended up going No. 6 overall to the Raiders. A recent report indicated Chicago was open to moving up a spot to secure TreVeyon Henderson in Round 2, who landed with the Patriots one spot before the Bears selected Luther Burden III.

All this to say: the Bears didn’t end up selecting a running back until Round 7 of the 2026 NFL Draft, but they’re clearly looking to upgrade from D’Andre Swift. The incumbent starter was used mostly as a rotational back when he overlapped with Ben Johnson in Detroit.

Swift is coming off of a career-low 3.8 yards per carry in 2024, and the Bears would save $7.5 million by releasing him next offseason. If he doesn’t bounce back in a big way, he could be as good as gone in 2026.

Tremaine Edmunds​

PFF is hardly the end-all, be-all in terms of player evaluation, but it’s absolutely a helpful tool. Its grades certainly don’t paint a pretty picture regarding Tremaine Edmunds’ tenure with the Bears.

In his final season with the Bills, Edmunds finished with an 81.9 player grade, making him one of the most efficient off-ball linebackers in the league. In his two seasons since joining the Bears, though, he has graded beneath 60.0 both years. Considering 60.0 is the baseline starting grade for all players, that indicates he has been an outright liability for Chicago’s defense.

Inconsistencies in coverage, limited pass-rushing value and lackluster processing are all major issues for a player entering his eighth year in the NFL. The Bears would save $15 million by releasing him next offseason, which feels like a foregone conclusion unless he somehow bounces back to his Pro Bowl-caliber play.

Cole Kmet​

Cole Kmet is coming off of a down year of production in 2024, though a lot of it admittedly came down to poor offensive play-calling by the Bears’ former coaching staff. That said, his path back to high levels of production took a hit when the team selected Colston Loveland with the No. 10 overall pick.

Rookie tight ends historically take a little longer to adjust to the NFL, no matter what Brock Bowers might make you think. Kmet seems likely to kick off 2025 as Chicago’s primary tight end. However, Loveland’s superior athleticism and route-running ability makes him a better fit for Ben Johnson, who saw tremendous success in Detroit utilizing a tight end with a similar playing style in Sam LaPorta.

Kmet is still under contract for another two years after 2025, so the Bears might not rush to move off him like they could with the aforementioned other two players. If they find themselves strapped for cap space next offseason, though, they could free up $8.4 million by cutting Kmet and letting Loveland take the reins.

Tyrique Stevenson​

After a strong second half of his rookie year, things were looking up for Tyrique Stevenson heading into 2024. As soon as the Hail Mary incident took place, though, things began quickly falling apart.

Stevenson was naturally targeted heavily playing opposite Jaylon Johnson along the Bears’ perimeter, and he didn’t respond with strong play. He graded below-average with a 58.9 PFF grade, ranking him 83rd among 116 qualified cornerbacks. He dropped from four interceptions in 2023 to two in 2024, as well.

Being on a rookie contract, the financials aren’t as much of an issue with Stevenson. In theory, a more press-heavy system under Dennis Allen should be beneficial for the physical, young cornerback. With Terell Smith and Zah Frazier waiting in the wings and having similar playing styles, though, the Bears could look elsewhere for their starting lineup if Stevenson doesn’t bounce back in 2025.

Jaquan Brisker​

In his three seasons with the Bears, Jaquan Brisker has been a capable starting safety with an unparalleled motor. The concern with him doesn’t revolve as much around his play as it does his long-term health.

Brisker unfortunately suffered a concussion in Week 5 of the 2024 season, and he didn’t play for the remainder of the year. He has missed games due to concussions in each of his three years in the NFL, and considering how much time he missed last year, it reaches a certain point where his well-being needs to enter the conversation.

By all accounts, Brisker should be good to go in 2025, but he’s slated to hit free agency after this year. The Bears don’t have any safeties under contract past this season, which plays in Brisker’s favor. However, his history of concussions could hurt his ability to land a long-term deal after his rookie contract expires. If he can’t stay healthy this season, it would only further put his future into question.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/5/19/24425696/chicago-bears-cut-candidates-2025-nfl-draft

 

[Chicago Bears]

Seth Wickersham shares details of exclusive interviews with Caleb & Carl Williams

Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Seth Wickersham joined the latest Bears Banter Podcast!

The latest Bears Banter has dropped!

Seth Wickersham turned many heads in Chicago, based on an article he published on ESPN’s website that included quotes for an upcoming book that will be out in September titled American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback.

Those quotes were from Caleb Williams and his father, Carl. Seth interviewed both of them for his book, and they were both quite open about the process of being drafted by the Chicago Bears.

Caleb and Carl told Seth they had reservations about coming to Chicago (“Where quarterbacks go to die”), they had concerns about Shane Waldron’s offense, how Caleb really wanted to go to the Vikings after a meeting with Kevin O’Connell, and how his father looked at ways to try to circumvent the NFL Draft so Caleb could pick his team, including potentially signing with the UFL and holding out a year.

After meeting with the Bears and their front office, Williams believed he could get it done with the Bears and decided not to “nuke the city” and agree to come to play for the Bears.

Caleb Williams further told Wickersham about the issues he had in his rookie season to the point that coaches weren’t watching tape with him regularly, and he had to do it on his own.

The details from Wickersham are pretty shocking. It’s an interview worth checking out.

To watch the interview with Seth Wickersham on the 2nd City Gridiron YouTube page, you can do so here:

To listen to the full interview, you can do that wherever you get your podcasts on the 2nd City Gridiron podcast feed, or use the player below:

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...rviews-with-caleb-carl-williams-chicago-bears

 

[Chicago Bears]

Where Caleb Williams Ranks On PFF’s Top QBs List

Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Bears Quarterback ranked lower than many might expect.

Pro Football Focus is out with their Quarterback rankings ahead of the 2025 season.

Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams’ rank on the list might be lower than many Bears fans would have anticipated. While there’s no question that Williams had a very up and down rookie campaign, the rankings for some of the other signal callers on the list is what may prompt Bears fans to scratch their heads.

Here’s the list, along with PFF’s Tiers:

TIER 1: THE ELITE

1. Patrick Mahomes

2. Joe Burrow

3. Lamar Jackson

4. Josh Allen

TIER 2: HIGH-END STARTERS

5. Jalen Hurts

6. Jayden Daniels

7. Matthew Stafford

8. Justin Herbert

TIER 3a: SOLID STARTERS WHO HAVE FLASHED HIGH-END PLAY

9. Jared Goff

10. Geno Smith

11. Brock Purdy

TIER 3b: SOLID STARTERS, BUT THEY NEED MORE HELP

12. Jordan Love

13. Baker Mayfield

14. CJ Stroud

15. Kyler Murray

16. Trevor Lawrence

17. Dak Prescott

18. Tua Tagovailoa

TIER 4: YOUNG PLAYERS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF POTENTIAL OUTCOMES

19. Bo Nix

20. Bryce Young

21. JJ McCarthy

22. Drake Maye

23. Michael Penix Jr.

24. Caleb Williams

25. Cameron Ward

TIER 5: VETERANS CAPABLE OF SOLID PLAY BUT COULD BE QUICKLY REPLACED

26. Sam Darnold

27. Russell Wilson

28. Justin Fields

TIER 6: LOW-END STARTERS AND NOT LONG-TERM OPTIONS

29. Joe Flacco

30. Anthony Richardson

31. Mason Rudolph

32. Tyler Shough

If you’re curious, here’s their evaluation on Caleb Williams. An evaluation that ranked him lower than JJ McCarthy, who has yet to play a pro game, as well as Michael Penix, Jr, who started just three games last year:

“Touted as a generational talent by many, Williams underwhelmed as a rookie, earning just a 67.6 overall grade and posting only five single-game grades above 70.0. The talent is undeniable, but his NFL success will hinge on learning to find open targets and avoiding the habit of running himself into pressure.”

For those curious, their evaluation of Jordan Love reads as follows:

“When ranking quarterbacks in this tier, it’s almost a dart throw trying to predict the level of play you’ll get. Jordan Love’s late-season run in 2023 was a stellar mix of big-time throws and sound decision-making, but he couldn’t carry that momentum into 2024. His big-time throw rate dropped from 5.6% to 3.5%. If he can recapture that 2023 groove, Love has both the talent and mindset to make a run at the NFC crown.”

That’s right. PFF acknowledges Love played great for about half of 2023, regressed in 2024, yet they see him as just outside of the top ten.

Here’s McCarthy, who is ranked three spots above Williams:

“I’m leaning on my personal evaluation here, as I had McCarthy as the top quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. We didn’t get to see him as a rookie, but his 2023 season at Michigan — where he earned a 92.2 PFF grade and a 93.4 passing grade — highlighted everything you want in a young passer. If he’s fully healthy in 2025, and considering what Sam Darnold managed in this offense, McCarthy is set up to succeed.”

Your thoughts Bears fans? Let us know in the comments section below!

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...leb-williams-chicago-bears-ranks-top-qbs-list

 

[Chicago Bears]

Infante: Evaluating my 2025 NFL Draft accuracy

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

WCG’s lead draft analyst compares his 2025 NFL Draft accuracy to one of the best analysts in the business.

With the 2025 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, now is as good of a time as any to compare my own analysis to the way the league evaluates talent.

I’m already onto my 2026 NFL Draft analysis, much to the joy or chagrin of whichever reader you might ask. Before I go full steam into next year’s class, however, I wanted to go through a helpful exercise that I discovered last year.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah is one of the best in the business, and for the last few years, his website has been tracking his accuracy within the top 150 picks of the NFL Draft. Each year, you can see how the top 150 players of his board stack up to the first 150 selections in each class.

The Top 150 accuracy from @MoveTheSticks pic.twitter.com/xQN19oCfH7

— NFL (@NFL) April 28, 2025​

As a part-time draft analyst who does this on the side instead of as a full-blown career, I was curious to see where my numbers compare to that of a professional media scout. I obviously don’t expect my numbers to be as good — there’s a reason Jeremiah is a professional and I am not — but I’m always striving to be a better evaluator and provide better draft content for you all.

Last year, I saw 82.7% of my top 150 prospects selected in that same range of the 2024 NFL Draft. That comes out to 124 players.

The 2025 draft class was not as kind to me, unfortunately. Of the first 150 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, 115 of them were also in my top 150 prospects on my big board. That comes out to a percentage of 76.6%.

This isn’t to say my evaluations were wrong, per se. 145 of my top 150 prospects got drafted, which leads to a 96.6% percentage that fell short of Jeremiah’s perfect score, but it does beat out his percentages from 2020 and 2022. There’s also the chance I get players right that the league doesn’t.

That said, I’m a little disappointed the numbers dropped the way they did in 2025.

The Top 257​

Out of the 257 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, I ranked 228 of them in my own top 257 for a percentage of just over 88.7%. There were 10 players in total whom I did not have any scouting report on, adding up to a percentage of just under 3.9%. That just so happens to be the exact amount of players I missed in 2024, despite my watching 39 prospects in 2025 than I did the year before.

Ironically, the highest-picked player I didn’t have a formal grade on was Bears linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, who got picked in Round 4. Outside of him, though, I had a grade on every player selected through the first six rounds, including the three special teamers.

The next player happened to be Marcus Bryant from Missouri — the college team I support — and while I had notes on him from watching the team live and going over teammate Armand Membou, I didn’t expect he would be selected. That was certainly a pleasant surprise, though!

Here is the full list of drafted players whom I had not formally scouted before the draft:

• Bears LB Ruben Hyppolite II (No. 132)
• Patriots OT Marcus Bryant (No. 220)
• Steelers CB Donte Kent (No. 229)
• Packers CB Micah Robinson (No. 237)
• Broncos TE Caleb Lohner (No. 241)
• Giants CB Korie Black (No. 246)
• Patriots LS Julian Ashby (No. 251)
• 49ers WR Junior Bergen (No. 252)
• Chargers CB Trikweze Bridges (No. 256)
• Patriots CB Kobee Minor (No. 257)

The Top 150​

These are the players Jeremiah put in his top 150 who were selected in the top 150 but weren’t in mine:

• UCF RB RJ Harvey (8.49)
• Arkansas WR Isaac TeSlaa (9.93)
• Minnesota CB Justin Walley (5.97)
• California CB Nohl Williams (7.14)
• Tulane CB Caleb Ransaw (9.75)
• Virginia S Jonas Sanker (7.05)
• USC CB Jaylin Smith (4.82)
• Western Kentucky CB Upton Stout (7.61)
• Florida WR Chimere Dike (9.72)
• California S Craig Woodson (8.75)
• Georgia RB Trevor Etienne (6.94)
• Ohio State LB Cody Simon (8.35)
• USC RB Woody Marks (6.66)
• Texas TE Gunnar Helm (4.33)
• Texas EDGE Barryn Sorrell (9.31)
• Virginia Tech WR Jaylin Lane (9.57)
• California LB Teddye Buchanan (9.42)
• Alabama EDGE Que Robinson (N/A)
• Notre Dame DT Rylie Mills (N/A)
• UCF CB Mac McWilliams (7.39)
• Texas RB Jaydon Blue (6.34)

Likewise, these are the players I put in my top 150 who were selected in the top 150 but weren’t in Jeremiah’s: (three more)

• Kentucky DT Deone Walker (3.74)
• Alabama S Malachi Moore (6.11)
• Florida DT Cam Jackson (3.89)
• Maryland DT Jordan Phillips (6.77)
• South Carolina EDGE Kyle Kennard (8.57)
• Tennessee DT Omarr Norman-Lott (5.95)
• Georgia OG Dylan Fairchild (N/A)
• Illinois WR Pat Bryant (7.08)

Not nearly as long of a list. Woof!

Finally, here are the players we both got wrong:

• Texas DT Vernon Broughton (N/A)
• Oklahoma State LB Nick Martin (8.55)
• Texas Tech OT Caleb Rogers (9.68)
• Notre Dame LB Jack Kiser (7.68)
• Tennessee WR Dont’e Thornton Jr. (9.85)
• Georgia WR Arian Smith (9.20)
• Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter (7.17)
• Iowa State OT Jalen Travis (9.09)
• Maryland LB Ruben Hyppolite II (8.23)
• South Carolina DT Tonka Hemingway (9.46)
• Ole Miss WR Jordan Watkins (8.79)
• Georgia DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (9.79)
• Alabama A&M OG Carson Vinson (8.09)
• Oregon RB Jordan James (4.65)
• Florida CB Jason Marshall Jr. (9.43)

The RAS Of It All​

Utilizing Relative Athletic Score, I decided to see if the analytical testing profile for players I missed was any different than it was with Jeremiah’s.

As you can probably tell from the lists above, it was! I have more of a “got that dawg in him” approach to scouting as it seems Jeremiah does, whereas DJ prioritizes physical tools and athletic upside. Admittedly, that seems to be part of why he does better than me every year!

Of the eight players I got right and Jeremiah got wrong, only one of them had an elite RAS grade (above 8.00). At the same time, nine of the 21 that I got wrong and Jeremiah got right had elite RAS grades.

20 of my 35 misses from the 2025 NFL Draft had elite RAS grades, marking a 57.1% percentage. Conversely, of the 35 players I had in my top 150 who missed the actual top 150, just 11 of them had elite RAS grades (31.4%). That’s a wake-up call to me to focus more on elite athletes when putting together my rankings if I want to line up with NFL evaluators.

Takeaways​

One of the big takeaways I got is that Jeremiah’s evaluation of defensive backs is much more in line with the way the NFL thinks than mine. That’s not to say I need to copy my rankings entirely after his, but I may need to keep more of an open mind during my evaluation period, especially at cornerback.

I also undervalue speed when it comes to my wide receiver evaluations. Every wide receiver I missed on ran a 40-yard dash time in the 4.3s or quicker. Of the ten wide receivers to run a 4.3 or faster, eight of them got drafted in the top 150. KeAndre Lambert-Smith wasn’t too far behind at No. 158, while Isaiah Bond got arrested on charges of sexual assault and went undrafted because of it.

That said, I come away feeling decent about my ability to evaluate defensive linemen. Cam Jackson and Deone Walker were two players in particular with subpar testing, but I trusted the eye test on them enough, and in this exercise, it paid off.

Self reflection is key in life, because all of a sudden I’ve become a shaman or something instead of a fat dork who sits at his computer all day. After this exercise, I’ve identified the steps I should take in order to become a better draft analyst for the people.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...fante-chicago-bears-daniel-jeremiah-big-board

 

[Chicago Bears]

Ben Johnson loves the opportunity to ‘change the narrative’ about Bears quarterbacks

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Bears had OTA day number two at Halas Hall today and the media were present.

Last week’s buzz around the Chicago Bears was all about the soon-to-be-released book from ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, which features some quotes from Caleb and his father Carl Williams related to the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft. None of it was new to anyone paying attention, but the timing of it did drum up some concern from many.

The good thing about the news cycle of the NFL’s offseason is that most stories have a short shelf life thanks to minicamps and OTAs, so with the Bears back at Halas Hall today, it gave the franchise a chance to address it and then turn the page. Caleb wasn’t made available to the media today, so we’ll have to wait for his thoughts on the book, but head coach Ben Johnson wasted little time addressing the situation.

“It’s come to my attention that the quarterback’s been out in the media over the last week,” Johnson said in his opening remarks at his press conference. “And just to get out in front of that a little bit, I just wanted to say I wasn’t here last year, so I can’t speak too much in terms of what it was like before he got here and when he got here last year, but from my four months on the job, he’s been outstanding to work with, and we are just focused on getting a little better every day.”

Johnson was asked about the quote in the book from Caleb Williams’ dad, saying that Chicago is where quarterbacks go to die, and he expressed excitement over what he and Caleb can build.

“I love it. I love it. I love the opportunity to come on in and change that narrative,” Johnson said. That’s where great stories are written, and so we’re looking to write a new chapter here, 2025 Chicago Bears, and looking forward to the future.”

---

There were a few players absent today including nickle Kyler Gordon, wideout Luther Burden, safety Elijah Hicks, corner Terell Smith, defensive linemen Zacch Pickens and Andrew Billings, and offensive linemen Braxton Jones and Ryan Bates. Rookie tight end Colston Loveland was present but was still sidelined.

With Jones still rehabbing, the starting left tackle was Kiran Amegadjie, with rookie Ozzy Trapilo working with the second unit.

Here are a few Tweets from the beat who were at Halas Hall today covering practice. Keep in mind, it was the second time the full squad was together for an OTA.

Spirited practice today for the #Bears on their second day of install. Ben Johnson was intense out there and you could see it with some mistakes being made. He didn't hold back.

— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) May 21, 2025​

Not unexpected: #Bears pre-snap was a little sloppy today.

Notable: Ben Johnson wasn't having it.

I asked him after practice if that level of agitation was normal for him. He smiled and said: "You saw agitation today?"

“Yeah, I thought that was normal. I'll work to get my…

— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) May 21, 2025​

Not unexpected: #Bears pre-snap was a little sloppy today.

Notable: Ben Johnson wasn’t having it.

I asked him after practice if that level of agitation was normal for him. He smiled and said: “You saw agitation today?”

“Yeah, I thought that was normal. I’ll work to get my body language under control. I’m talking about that with the players, so I need to do a better job myself. I’m on it.”

A lot of motions and shifts today and a high tempo practice.

Ben Johnson is definitely a fiery coach tore into a couple guys that didn’t line up correctly pre snap.

Guys got an edge to him. #DaBears #Bears #ChicagoBears

— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) May 21, 2025​

Top 3 Takeaways from Bears OTA 5-21-25:

1. Ben Johnson is intense. Screamed at Cole Kmet for what appeared to be lining up incorrectly.

2. Caleb Williams did not have his best day. Ball came out slow at times, off the mark.

3. Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent both got #2 reps.

— Mark Carman (@thecarm) May 21, 2025​

"The intensity level of Ben Johnson is very evident."#Bears S Kevin Byard on the different feel of this offseason. @fox32news

— Cassie Carlson (@CassieCarlsonTV) May 21, 2025​

#Bears LB Tremaine Edmunds also cites Dennis Allen's "intensity." #DaBears pic.twitter.com/6dhBuplmW8

— Josh Buckhalter (@JoshGBuck) May 21, 2025​

Joe Thuney says Ben Johnson has a great "attention to detail" and holds players to a "very high standard." Said that Ben is "very good at communicating." #Bears @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/w6rTMDrMzG

— Matt Zahn (@mattzahnsports) May 21, 2025​

Just a few takeaways from today's practice for the #Bears:

- I wouldn't say it was a great or bad day for Caleb Williams. He made some nice throws, connecting with DJ Moore on a few throws to the sideline. There was a few times maybe he held the ball or the defense had it…

— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) May 21, 2025​

Just a few takeaways from today’s practice for the #Bears:

- I wouldn’t say it was a great or bad day for Caleb Williams. He made some nice throws, connecting with DJ Moore on a few throws to the sideline. There was a few times maybe he held the ball or the defense had it covered down the field. They don’t call sacks and let plays go in these drills.

- Noah Sewell is competing for that third linebacker spot. Noticed him a few times out there.

- Shemar Turner beat the LG on a rep and was in the backfield quick on a play. It was an impressive play.

- No. 2 QB battle between Keenum and Bagent is something to watch.

If you saw anything else that caught your eye on social media, be sure to share it in the comment section below.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2...nge-the-narrative-quarterbacks-caleb-williams