The Chicago Bears sent a message to the rest of the NFL with a dominant win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 8. Week 9 brings a third straight primetime stage for Ben Johnson's team, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming to Soldier Field for "Sunday Night Football."
But before we go all the way there, let's do the weekly check-in on some notable Bears players who are slated to hit free agency in 2027.
Tyrique Stevenson failed in another opportunity brought by Malik Muhammad's injury
Rookie Malik Muhammad's absence due to a toe injury pushed Stevenson into his second-highest snap share of the season against the Seahawks.
Stevenson allowed a reasonable 50 percent completion rate on eight targets over 39 coverage snaps against Seattle, but those four completions went for 82 yards and three of them went for 15 or more yards. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had two catches for 58 yards with Stevenson as the nearest defender in coverage, including a 43-yard touchdown late in the first half that could have turned the game's momentum.
The Bears holding Smith-Njigba to two catches in the second half had more to do with the Seahawks having no other real passing game threats than anything that was done to him in coverage.
Any idea Stevenson would have a contract year shift in his performance is just about gone at this point. A prospective trade acquisition before the deadline could very well put him on the bench.
Roschon Johnson continues to have reduced role
Johnson sort of took a step out of the potential doghouse against the Seahawks. But he still played just 14 offensive snaps, on his way to 28 total yards (17 rushing) on six touches (one catch) as D'Andre Swift operated as the obvious lead back again.
Kyle Monangai has now missed four straight games due to toe and thumb injuries, and he has not appeared to be particularly close to suiting up. With the bye week on the horizon in Week 10 he may very well miss another game, leaving Johnson as the clear-cut and likely little-used No. 2 back behind Swift for another week.
Garrett Bradbury is doing a good bit to help himself
With rookie second-round pick Logan Jones waiting in the wings, Bradbury is likely one-and-done as as the Bears' center no matter what he does. But from Week 6-8 Pro Football Focus has graded as a top-five center overall and as a run blocker.
Former Bears center Olin Kreutz highlighted Bradbury's critical role in pre-snap communication in the tough road environment of Lumen Field.
The pre-snap communication by Caleb Williams, Garrett Bradbury and the Bears was on point in a hostile environment at Lumen Field in Seattle, as @olin_kreutz discussed. pic.twitter.com/aGW3DLIPZu
— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) November 3, 2026
Bradbury is having struggles in pass protection, and those continued against Seattle. But he is otherwise showing himself to be the kind of veteran center other teams will want come March.
Opportunity may be knocking for James Lynch
Kentavius Street suffered what looked to be a severe knee injury against the Seahawks, and he really hasn't been impactful enough to keep Lynch off the field anyway. Perhaps also spurred by the arrival of his former Titans' teammate Jeffery Simmons, as the whole team was, Lynch had an interception and a pass breakup in the game.
If Street is going to miss some time, Lynch would be in line to be a more prominent part of the Bears' defensive tackle rotation. Grady Jarrett also suffered a groin injury against Seattle, which could open up more snaps if he is out or at all limited moving forward.
Lynch has been disruptive so far this season. If he gets more playing time and continues to be so, he will do himself a lot of good over the rest of the season.
Kalif Raymond continues to be impactful with now-reduced chances
Raymond has taken his more ideal place in the pecking order of the Bears' offense in recent weeks, but he remains impactful as a punt returner and his veteran presence is something Ben Johnson clearly wanted to bring in last offseason.
Raymond had just two catches for 14 yards against Seattle, but a screen pass that went in the books as a 39-yard rush on a 3rd-and-9 play led to a fourth quarter touchdown by Swift that all but sealed the game for the Bears. Clutch plays like that get you noticed.
Raymond is trending strongly toward being back with the Bears in 2027, and he should continue to make a mark when he gets chances over the rest of the season.
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