The Chicago Bears are in the middle of another important offseason, where they’re looking to shore up the roster and remain contenders in Ben Johnson’s second season as head coach as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches.
The Bears didn’t make any big splashes in free agency, where their biggest move was signing Super Bowl champion Coby Bryant to fill one of two starting safety vacancies left by the departing Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. Chicago also added linebacker Devin Bush, defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and wide receiver Kalif Raymond. But the Bears also suffered some big losses, including wide receiver DJ Moore, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, Byard and Brisker, as well as center Drew Dalman, who shockingly retired.
Chicago has seven draft picks that includes four selections in the top 89, including a pair of second rounders, where they can address some of their biggest needs, including defensive line, safety and offensive tackle.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the 2026 NFL Draft. First up is quarterback, where the Bears don’t have to worry about quarterback with Caleb Williams following a breakout season.
Who’s on the roster?
Caleb Williams had a breakout season in his first year with head coach Ben Johnson, who maximized his potential in just one season. While Williams still has plenty of improvement to make, he made huge strides as a passer leading a top-five offense in the league. The stats won’t tell the whole story, most notably his 58.1 completion percentage, but Williams showcased incredible potential and established himself as one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the NFL with his record seven fourth-quarter comebacks. Williams also set a franchise record for most passing yards in a single season, surpassing Erik Kramer’s record from 1995, and he fell just short of becoming the franchise’s first 4,000-yard passer. After being sacked a league-high 68 times during his rookie season, Williams was sacked just 25 times (an NFL best) in Year 2, and he played a big role in those sacks coming down with his Houdini-esque escapability. Williams was far from perfect this season, but he certainly looks the part of a franchise quarterback.
For the second straight season, the Bears didn’t have to turn to backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, which speaks to Williams’ durability. Bagent played just 14 snaps, in relief of Williams, during the 2025 season. But it’s certainly important to have a solid backup quarterback as we’ve seen how quickly things can change in the NFL. Which is why Chicago signed Bagent to a two-year, $10 million contract extension before the start of the season to lock down their QB2. Still, Bagent has garnered trade interest around the NFL. But, for now, he remains a top backup for the Bears.
The Bears signed veteran journeyman Case Keenum to a one-year deal last offseason to serve as a sounding board and an extension of the coaching staff for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. Keenum never saw the field in the regular season, which is a good thing, but Chicago did carry him on the 53-man roster given they didn’t want to lose him and his importance as a coach for Williams. The Bears valued him as an asset for Williams, which is why they signed him to a two-year extension in free agency.
Who departed this offseason?
The Bears retained all three quarterbacks from last season. Caleb Williams is coming off a breakout year, where he showed incredible promise with just one season working with Ben Johnson. In fact, general manager Ryan Poles has indicated that Chicago is already planning on a potential contract extension after this season, if Williams takes the next step forward in his development. Meanwhile, Tyson Bagent remains with the Bears for now, but that might change should another team become desperate for a quarterback. Case Keenum was brought back to continue to work with Williams.
Positional need: Low
It’s a great thing when quarterback isn’t a need for the Bears, and that has everything to do with Caleb Williams’ emergence during his second season. Williams established himself as one of the most electrifying and clutch players in the NFL, where he set a franchise single-season passing record and NFL record for seven fourth-quarter comebacks in a single season. While Williams still has some things to clean up, including in the short passing game, he showed his incredible potential in this Ben Johnson offense, and the best is yet to come. Meanwhile, having a solid backup quarterback is important. While Chicago hasn’t had to rely on Tyson Bagent since Williams came to town, the Bears have a reliable backup quarterback who also has the trust of his head coach. But it certainly sounds like Bagent could eventually earn a starting job elsewhere, so it wouldn’t hurt to look for a potential diamond in the rough in undrafted free agency to potentially fill the void.
Top draft prospects
It’s a good thing the Bears aren’t in the market for a quarterback because this isn’t a great draft class. Outside of Fernando Mendoza, who’s a lock at No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders, there’s no guarantee another quarterback goes in the first round. If there is one, it’s Alabama’s Ty Simpson, who’s a late-Day 1, early-Day 2 projection. The rest of the top prospects, including LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Back and Penn State’s Drew Allar, are all Day 2 or Day 3 picks. It’s a far cry from the 2024 draft class, which produced Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nix.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 2026 NFL draft preview: Where Chicago Bears stand at quarterback
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
