Training camp is now less than a month away for the Chicago Bears, and the mood has changed in the Windy City.
They exceeded expectations in 2025 but now face the pressure of repeating that success with a strong 2026 campaign. There may not be pressure on the coaching staff led by Ben Johnson since they were so good, but the players sure have a ton to deal with.
Looking at the roster, five players might be facing more of that pressure than anyone else. Who are the top five players with the most pressure in 2026?
Ranking the top 5 Bears players with the most pressure entering training camp
5. Luther Burden III, WR
Sure, the hype is 100% real for Burden, as everyone is excited to see him on the field for his second season in the NFL, but there is a considerable amount of pressure on Burden to play well. The Bears traded away DJ Moore, opening the door for Burden to be their second receiver behind Rome Odunze. After all the buzz around Burden, he now really needs to back up all that noise with a strong sophomore year in the league.
4. Roschon Johnson, RB
The number of carries has been almost reduced to zero for Johnson, leaving him with his back up against the wall in training camp. Chicago has Salvon Ahmed, Brittain Brown, and Coleman Bennett competing with Johnson for the RB3 job. Johnson has more of a chance than ever that he could be cut in training camp if he doesn't outperform those three guys.
3. Braxton Jones, LT
Last year, Jones got benched after three and a half games and missed a chunk of the season with an injury, leaving the 2026 season as a make-or-break for him. Ozzy Trapilo will be out a while, which means Jones has his shot to retain and keep the left tackle job. He'll have to beat out Theo Benedet and Jedrick Wills to win it, but this season could decide Jones' career in Chicago or in the NFL in general.
2. Dayo Odeyingbo, DE
One sack in eight games is a bad look for a guy who just joined the team last year. Entering Year 2, Odeyingbo is fully healthy from his injury and already has Ben Johnson hoping that he can step up in 2026. The lack of sacks is a major problem for someone who's getting nearly $50 million from the franchise, so he'd better play better.
Read more: Sam Roush clearing this hurdle could be a game-changer for Bears
1. Kyler Gordon, CB
When Gordon is on the field, he's one of the best nickel corners in the NFL, but the problem is that he can't seem to get himself back on the field after a soft tissue injury has kept him out. He only played three games last year and did not practice at all during OTAs, leaving Johnson frustrated with Gordon. Something has to change when training camp begins, or Gordon could be out of a job, and even if he is back on the field in 2026, he'd better play better than he ever has.
Add us as a preferred source on Google