The bye week is here, and the Chicago Bears have gotten through the trade deadline with fewer fireworks than fans expected, but that only opens the door for more opportunities for the team's players.
Despite being 7-2, the Bears still need some of their top players to step up and help lead this franchise to the Super Bowl. For some, they have gotten off to a strong start to the season, but others need to start a strong second half.
Five players on the Bears' roster have the most to gain from the second half of the season. Here are those five and what, specifically, they will gain from playing well for the rest of the year.
Which Bears players have the most to gain after the bye week?
Kyle Monangai, RB
Bears fans have truly missed seeing Kyle Monangai on the field after he missed the last five games with a toe and thumb injury. Thankfully, he participated last week, showing great progress, and he is on track to return to practice this week after the bye week.
Monangai was a top-10 rusher in the NFL, rushing for 324 yards and three touchdowns before his injury. He ranks third in the league in yards per carry (5.4).
Chicago could really use Monangai back; before his injury, the team averaged 196.3 yards per game, but since then, they've averaged only 98.6 yards per game. Once they get Monangai back, this offense is going to look completely different, which will only make it easier for the Bears to justify paying him more money eventually.
Rome Odunze, WR
Luther Burden III has stolen a lot of Odunze's thunder this season, with Odunze having three touchdowns taken away from him due to drops or penalties. Odunze has caught 32 passes for 528 yards and one touchdown.
It feels like some are either almost off the Odunze train or have stopped viewing him as the WR1 on the Bears. While Chicago will most likely pick up his fifth-year option, the question will be whether they believe in him enough to give him a contract extension. A strong second half of the season would not only help his case, but also prove to Caleb Williams that he is the top guy.
Malik Muhammad, CB
In a season where the outside cornerbacks have really struggled on the Bears, it's rookie fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad who has emerged as the top guy. He has allowed a 54.8% completion rate and an 80.8 passer rating. Add in 21 tackles, five pass deflections, two quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception.
A lot of this depends on Muhammad returning after missing the last two games due to a toe injury; after being limited in practice this past week, it seems he will be back. There's a chance he could take the starting CB2 job from Tyrique Stevenson and really establish himself as the future starting corner, which every Bears fan wants.
Austin Booker, DE
Bears fans waited so long to see Booker have his breakout season, and in Year 3, it has finally happened. He has racked up 27 tackles, 21 pressures, 13 hurries, eight quarterback hits, six tackles for loss, five sacks, one forced fumble, one pass deflection, and one blocked kick. Pro Football Focus gave him a 72.5 overall grade, ranking him 26th out of 110 edge rushers.
With Dayo Odeyingbo out on IR and Montez Sweat missing two games due to his suspension, Booker has been a consistent presence all season and leads the team in sacks. Booker is due for a contract extension in the offseason, so if he can keep playing at a high level, he'll be a very rich man.
Read more: Dennis Allen has 3 critical changes to make within Bears’ defense
Jaylon Johnson, CB
Johnson has had a rough start to the 2026 season, but things seem to be turning around for him at the right time. He had the best game of his year in the Bears' Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he made three tackles, deflecting one pass, allowed a 20% completion rate, and scored a critical third-quarter pick-six.
In nine games this season, Johnson has had 27 tackles, three pass deflections, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one interception, and one pick-six. He has allowed a 67.4% completion percentage and a 104.9 passer rating.
It may feel like Johnson has more to lose than gain after the bye week, but the big thing is that he's got his confidence back and is playing like the shutdown corner he was in his 2023 and 2024 Pro Bowl seasons. Some Bears fans have wanted him traded, but a strong second half will shut those narratives down, and Chicago can go back to trusting him as the CB1.
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