A lot of change came in Chicago offseason after a horrific 5-12 record from the Bears in 2024.
Ben Johnson has taken over as the head coach, and Bears general manager Ryan Poles made sure to add plenty of new talent to the roster. The offensive line has three new interior starters, with the defensive line also adding two new starters. During the NFL Draft, the Bears made four selections in the first two rounds.
Chicago has made significant progress and appears to be in a much better position than it was last year. Bears fans are feeling more optimistic about the 2025 season due to the actions of Johnson and Poles during the offseason. It's only good vibes right now in Chicago.
FOX Sports agrees with one word describing Bears' 2025 offseason
FOX Sports NFL reporter Ben Arthur wrote an article where he used just one word to describe each NFL team's offseason. For the Bears, "upbeat" came to mind after the work the team has done to build the roster around their franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.
"Caleb Williams didn’t have the kind of rookie season that many league observers expected from the No. 1 overall pick, but there is optimism about what's to come for him under new head coach Ben Johnson. The Bears have bulked up their offense around the former Heisman Trophy winner, raising intrigue about what’s possible for them in a competitive NFC North."
After surrendering an NFL-high 68 sacks a season ago, the Bears added Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson to give Chicago one of the best offensive lines the team has had in years. Even with Keenan Allen gone at wide receiver, the team still signed Olamide Zaccheaus and selected Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III in the NFL Draft.
On defense, the additions of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo will help the Bears generate a more effective pass rush. Jaquan Brisker is back from his concussion, which will only add to one of the best secondaries in the NFL with Jaylon Johnson, Kevin Byard III, and Tyrique Stevenson back there.
The new talent and returning players are enough to believe Chicago could be competitive entering the 2025 season. Super Bowl aspirations might be too high for this unit, but a playoff spot might be more in reach than some think.
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It will ultimately fall on Williams, and if he can live up to his number one pick status and improve from his rookie season.