Questions and answers: 5 certainties, uncertainties for the Bears heading into 2026 season 2026

<p>There are no guarantees in the NFL, and <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears" target="_blank" >the Bears</a> have gotten a harsh reminder of that from the rash of injuries they’ve dealt with in training camp.</p><p>But to whatever extent a team can count on something, there’s a lot to like about what they have going into this season. There also is quite a bit about which to be skeptical. Their success hinges on their strengths turning out to be exactly that and their hopes materializing.</p><p>Here are five things they can reasonably bank on this season:</p><h3><b>Loveland being unstoppable</b></h3><h3></h3><p>Tight end Colston Loveland was a surprising pick by the Bears at No. 10 overall, but now it makes total sense. He’s too fast for linebackers and too big for defensive backs, and he’s caught virtually everything Caleb Williams has thrown him. While coach Ben Johnson wants to spread the ball around, it’ll be going to Loveland the most.</p><h3><b>Johnson being himself</b></h3><h3></h3><p>There’s cause for worry anytime a player comes off a major injury, but Jaylon Johnson seems back to normal after missing most of last season because of core-muscle surgery. He’s been one of the most rock-solid Bears of the past decade, was at his peak as a shutdown corner before he got hurt and is still just 27. The Bears will face many elite receivers, and it’s luxury to solve that issue simply by sticking Johnson on them.</p><h3><b>Swift getting it done</b></h3><h3></h3><p>Running back <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/01/02/bears-rb-dandre-swift-adapted-to-new-scheme-hard-coaching-and-is-delivering-best-season-of-career" >D’Andre Swift</a> is coming off a great season thanks largely to how receptive he was to coach <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2025/09/01/the-bears-and-their-fans-needed-a-truth-teller-they-got-one-in-new-coach-ben-johnson" >Ben Johnson</a> and former running backs coach Eric Bieniemy. He maintained his big-play capability while becoming a reliable north-south runner. That brought out the best of him and will get him paid, and Swift is sticking with that approach.</p><h3><b>The Ben Factor</b></h3><h3></h3><p>Ben Johnson changed everything when he walked into Halas Hall. Standards were raised. Practices became more physical. Work ethic was redefined. For all the possible flaws in this roster and all the hope being put in young players reaching their potential, Johnson brings credibility to the equation. There’s a belief inside the building that he’ll get the absolute most out of this team.</p><h3><b>Williams delivering incredible moments</b></h3><h3></h3><p>Williams won everyone over with his heroics last season: His overtime touchdown pass to beat the Packers in the regular season, the fourth-and-eight jump pass against them in the playoffs and his stunning fourth-down heave to force overtime against the Rams in the divisional round. Those were unforgettable, and there are more coming.</p><p>And here are five areas that are uncertain until proven otherwise:</p><h3><b>Williams being a clockwork passer</b></h3><h3></h3><p>Among the things Bears coaches have stressed to him this offseason is that <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/05/22/bears-coaches-have-a-simple-message-to-qb-caleb-williams-this-offseason-do-less" >making a bunch of relatively easy plays in the first three quarters could set the team up to coast in the fourth</a>. Johnson is excited about Williams’ improv skills and is looking to enhance them, but he also needs Williams to be a technician when it comes to the basics, and that’s not something he showed consistently his first two seasons.</p><h3><b>Pass rush being enough</b></h3><h3></h3><p>The Bears keep saying improvement in their pass rush will come from within, but they don’t have anything concrete to back that up. They have a legitimate No. 1 defensive end in Montez Sweat, but everyone else needs to show something: Dayo Odeyingbo has four sacks in his last 28 games, Austin Booker has six career sacks and Shemar Turner is still on the physically unable-to-perform list.</p><h3><b>Getting left tackle right</b></h3><h3></h3><p>Here’s what Ben Johnson said about left tackle just this week: “I don’t know that we are 100% sold on who that guy is going to be.” Yikes. Again? Braxton Jones likely will be the starter Week 1 against the Panthers, but that didn’t last long last season. Johnson won’t hesitate to try Theo Benedet, and the big-picture hope is that Ozzy Trapilo eventually comes back.</p><h3><b>Odunze breaking through</b></h3><h3></h3><p>Wide receiver Rome Odunze has been good, but a player drafted ninth overall needs to be great. Two receivers drafted after him have posted more yards, and three have more catches. Odunze has said multiple times he hasn’t done enough yet. He has looked strong in training camp coming off a stress fracture in his foot, but few players on the team have more to prove this season.</p><h3><b>Taking the North</b></h3><h3></h3><p>The Bears can’t expect to have so much cushion in the NFC North. Last season, they led the division most of the season despite going 2-4 in it and benefited from the Packers’ late-season slide, some hiccups by the Lions and the Vikings’ quarterback mess. All three of those teams have great coaches, and none of them are going to stay down.</p><p></p><bsp-list-loadmore class="PageListH" data-module data-hide-authors="true" data-hide-categories="true" data-hide-dates="true" data-show-loadmore="true"
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<div class="PagePromo-description">The Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley and Brian Sandalow agreed on the best two and the worst three; in between, Finley preferred the Bears, and Sandalow the Packers and Titans. </div>

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<div class="PagePromo-description">In their joint practice Wednesday with the Cardinals, Love connected with his top three wide receivers. The passes were on target, the timing was perfect and the plays were big.</div>

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<div class="PagePromo-description">The Bears must whittle their roster down Sunday.</div>

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Questions and answers: 5 certainties, uncertainties for the Bears heading into 2026 season 2026

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