Big worry could lead to Chicago Bears taking ‘major fall’ in 2026

There’s a lot to be optimistic about the Chicago Bears‘ immediate and long-term future.

From Caleb Williams’ rapid development into one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks in his first season in head coach Ben Johnson’s scheme, to the personnel in place to maximize one of the brightest offensive minds and playcallers in the league.

However, after winning the NFC North and toppling the Packers in a playoff game, there is also a pretty big lingering reason to doubt that Chicago’s success is sustainable.

Why the Chicago Bears could take big step back in 2026

CBS Sports NFL analyst Garrett Podell ranked the teams most likely to take a step back next season, with the Bears stunningly topping the list.

“The Bears don’t have the money to maintain that continuity in their defensive backfield,” Podell writes for CBS. “Safety Kevin Byard, a 2025 first-team All-Pro after leading the NFL with seven interceptions, is set to become a free agent, as is fellow starting safety Jaquan Brisker, nickel C.J. Gardner-Johnson and outside cornerback Nahshon Wright, who led the NFL with eight takeaways (five interceptions and three fumble recoveries). The potential losses of both Byard and Wright, who combined to account for 15 of Chicago’s NFL-most 33 takeaways (45.4%), could certainly set the Bears’ defense back.

“While it sounds wild to say, the 2025 season may have been the Bears’ best shot to make a Super Bowl run with Williams on his rookie contract.”

While Podell is right to point out that Chicago’s current salary cap predicament, projected to be upwards of $5 million over the cap, could make it a struggle to keep the veterans in place in the secondary, there are far more reasons to be optimistic about the trajectory of Johnson’s team.

Williams’ ascent and continued development through the course of last season alone are reason enough to be bullish on this team, not to mention the contributions Chicago received from its stellar rookie class. If the Bears can be targeted in free agency, fill the holes that arise, and stack another strong draft class atop its last two, it’s far more likely that this becomes the team to beat in the NFC North over the next several years than it is that Chicago follows a Washington Commanders-esque precipitous drop off in 2026.

The post Big worry could lead to Chicago Bears taking ‘major fall’ in 2026 appeared first on ChiCitySports.