The excitement of last season for the Chicago Bears still lives within the fan base as expectations for 2026 have increased.
There are plenty of reasons to get excited about this Bears team after going 11-6 and winning the NFC North last year. CBS Sports writer Bryan DeArdo points out two guys who make the difference in why Bears fans should be optimistic about the upcoming season: Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams.
"Chicago appears to have found its franchise quarterback in Williams. Chicago may also have its longterm coach in Johnson, who led the Bears to a surprising division title and a playoff win during his first season in the Windy City. Williams is coming off a breakout 2025 season that saw him orchestrate several game-winning drives that included throwing the game-winning touchdown pass in the Bears' wild-card playoff win over the Packers. In an effort to build upon last year's success, the Bears added several notable pieces to a defense that finished just 23rd in the NFL in points allowed. Among those pieces were linebacker Devin Bush, safety Coby Bryant and fellow safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick. They also got Williams another pass-catcher in the draft in former Stanford tight end Sam Roush."
Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams is all the reason needed to be optimistic about Bears
It was a rocky start between Johnson and Williams as the two tried to feel each other out, with Johnson coaching Williams so hard that the star quarterback thought his head coach didn't like him. As the season progressed, the two were on the same page and gelling well with a top-10 offense in the NFL.
The Bears got better over the offseason with more focus on the defense. Theienman, Bryant, and Bush breathe new life into a defensive unit that was one of the worst in the NFL in giving up yards.
Even with DJ Moore and Drew Dalman no longer on the team, this offense still has plenty of weapons and help up front to be one of the best again. Williams is only getting better as well, which should put the offense at a whole new level in 2026.
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Chicago might have most of the same players from the 2025 squad, but this team feels different, as this is more of a Super Bowl-caliber team than what they have ever had in the last two decades.
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