Despite a spectacular season for the Chicago Bears, there are still many questions that need to be answered about the team.
The Bears have a lot of free agents who will be hitting the market and free to sign elsewhere. One of those top players is All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, who led the NFL with seven interceptions during the regular season.
During the end-of-year press conference, Bears general manager Ryan Poles was asked whether the team is interested in having Byard back. Poles made sure he made his stance perfectly clear to the media.
"I think Kevin (Byard) is a special player and someone we would like to have back," Poles said via CHGO.
Kevin Byard looks to be on Ryan Poles' radar for 2026
Byard had one of the best seasons of his career, doing more than just leading the league in interceptions. In 17 games, he also racked up 93 tackles, eight pass deflections, and four tackles for loss. He made the Pro Bowl and was voted first-team All-Pro.
More importantly, with Byard, he stepped up as the main leader on the defense. For much of the season, they have to navigate the tough waters of the secondary with Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. It was Byard who provided the voice the unit needed and got them through the tough times by creating turnovers for his team.
Chicago is taking a massive hit in the secondary with Byard and Jaquan Brisker both hitting free agency after being the starting safeties. Not many people believe the Bears will be able to keep both players on the squad. More than likely, Byard will probably get the edge on a new deal, and Brisker will sign elsewhere.
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There won't be many Bears fans who will argue against that, as there is a lot of love for Byard on the Bears. He's too important to lose in Dennis Allen's defense in 2026, even if he is starting to hit the back half of his career.