The sports media world has not been so kind to the Chicago Bears when it comes to giving out letter grades for the 2026 offseason.
Many have criticized them for not addressing the edge rusher position and for having some uncertainty on defense, with less work done on that side of the ball through the draft. FanSided's Cody Williams gave the Bears a respectable B-, as he was not as harsh on them; he also named selecting Dillon Thieneman in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft the best move and drafting Zavion Thomas as the worst.
"Granted, it's sometimes easy to make a move when it falls in your lap, which is what the Chicago Bears experienced with Dillon Thieneman late in the first round. Their draft wasn't perfect, of course, but I did like some of the defensive shuffling that this team did to try and get more out of that side of the ball this season. Having said that, I do worry that there weren't meaningful enough upgrades made to make the Bears a viable Super Bowl favorite just yet."
Bears receive a B- for 2026 offseason so far
Bears general manager Ryan Poles was able to at least rebuild the safety position by adding two young, talented defensive backs in Thieneman and Coby Bryant. Chicago should at least have a strong foundation there for the next three years.
Not getting another edge rusher through free agency, trade, or the draft is the biggest problem for the Bears' offseason. A lot of faith is being put into Austin Booker and Dayo Odeyingbo to perform well and help Montez Sweat out.
Thomas's selection was a bit of a reach, as the Bears got him solely because of his 4.28 speed, but can he do more than just run fast and be a good returner? Chicago has Rome Odunze and Luther Burden at receiver, so they can afford to take a risk, but it's a big one to take.
Read more: 4 under-the-radar Bears who will set the world on fire in 2026
Poles will face a lot of heat if this 2026 season isn't better than last year because of the lack of activity throughout the offseason. Bears fans can only hope he has done enough to get them to the Super Bowl.
Add us as a preferred source on Google