The Chicago Bears' 2026 offseason was a little bit quieter than they have been in the previous two years, but it was still a productive one for them.
There was more of a focus on adding talent on defense, with many positions needing help after the unit finished in the bottom 5 in total defense last season. They utilized the early part of free agency and the draft to get that done, as they appear to be in much better shape.
Chicago improved four position groups that needed help during the offseason. Here's a look at which ones got better:
Four most improved position groups on the Bears in 2026 offseason
Defensive Tackle
Nothing has changed with the starting lineup, but there is a ton of depth behind Gervon Dexter and Grady Jarrett. The Bears added Neville Gallimore, James Lynch, Kentavius Street, and rookie Jordan van den Berg during the offseason. Chicago hopes one of those four players becomes a solid contributor who could overtake Jarrett if he continues to struggle as he did last year.
Linebacker
Tremaine Edmunds has been solid, but never lived up to the expectations that he set as a Pro Bowler with the Buffalo Bills, so the Bears cut him. They added Devin Bush, who is more consistent as a tackler and can help the Bears in more ways than one, including creating turnovers. It may seem like a small upgrade, and it probably is, but Bush makes that kind of difference in a unit that has been average over the years.
Kickoff/Punt Return
Devin Duvernay has been a great returner, but outside of the big return in the second Minnesota Vikings game last year, he wasn't really a factor as a returner. The Bears instead got some big upgrades, first adding Kalif Raymond and then drafting Zavion Thomas in the third round. Raymond might end up being more WR3 and Thomas using his 4.28 speed to be the main returner, but no matter how they do it, Chicago's special teams definitely got better in the return game.
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Safeties
Some would argue that losing All-Pro Kevin Byard would automatically disqualify the safeties as a position that got better, but they truly did. Coby Bryant is a more consistent defender in pass coverage than Byard was last year, and the addition of rookie first-round pick Dillon Thieneman is an upgrade over Jaquan Brisker, as Thieneman possesses the versatility Brisker doesn't. Bryant and Thieneman might not get the interception numbers that Byard and Brisker produced last year, but they can do so much more than that, and it will make a difference in this defense.
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