The Chicago Bears were expected to be improved this season, but no one expected them to be 9-3 and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs when the calendar flipped to December. What happens over the rest of the season is essentially a bonus, barring a complete collapse that leaves them out of the playoffs.
In time, the Bears will shift their focus to the 2026 offseason. They are in a position to bolster the roster without direct regard for a lot of significant needs, which is ideal for building a sustainable contender.
The Bears have some notable players who are currently set to hit free agency in March. Cap space will be a factor in moves made, of course, and right now, there isn't a lot of wiggle room, and there are some on that list of looming free agents who are obviously unlikely to be back.
But others are likely to be prioritized on the re-signing front based on what they've done this season, and others who have set a baseline for their performance that will make them a priority to retain.
But the player who should be general manager Ryan Poles' No. 1 priority to re-sign this offseason has clearly revealed himself.
Ryan Poles' top priority to re-sign this offseason has revealed himself
As the regular season winds down, Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus has a list of 15 underrated 2026 NFL free agents who are set to cash in.
The list is not in a specific ranked order, but it doesn't take long to get to Bears safety Kevin Byard.
"Byard’s 79.9 overall PFF grade is the fourth-highest among qualified safeties this season. The veteran has been great against both the pass and run, as evidenced by his 73.1-plus PFF grades in both departments."
"During his two years in Chicago, Byard sits in the 89th percentile in PFF coverage grade at free safety and in the 72nd percentile in PFF run-defense grade. Perhaps there could be worry about signing him to a big contract at 32, but his play hasn’t displayed much decline at all."
After having just one interception last season, his first with the Bears, Byard leads the league with six interceptions heading into Week 14. Looking at his PFF grades and marrying that with the eye test, there are no signs of erosion in his play this year at 32 years old. He has also been durable, missing just one game in his 10-year career.
Byard's age, 33 by the time next season starts, adds a natural layer of risk to signing him to a big contract. But another two-year deal should be in the Bears' wheelhouse if he sustains his current performance over the rest of this season, with a noticeable bump above his current per-year average ($7.5 million).
As things stand right now, a deal averaging $12 million a year would put Byard in a tie as the 15th-highest paid safety in the league. It would take an annual average of more than $15.1 million a year to put him among the 10 highest-paid safeties in the league.
Read more: Caleb Williams earned a wholly appropriate grade for his Week 13 performance
As he makes a case for his third career Pro Bowl nod and his third career All-Pro nod, too, Byard's market value is on the rise. The Bears may draw a reasonable financial line somewhere with that in mind, but his performance this season (again, as long as it continues) has pushed him to the top of Poles' list when it comes to who should be re-signed heading toward 2026.