The Chicago Bears had an impressive 2025 season, where they went 11-6 and won the NFC North title for the first time since 2018. Now, they are looking to retain it and earn a second consecutive division title, for the first time since 2006, a year in which they made it all the way to the Super Bowl.
If they are going to do that, there will need to be more development for multiple players and coaches. That includes second-year head coach Ben Johnson and third-year quarterback Caleb Williams. Together, these two have the ceiling of an elite coach/QB combo.
With all of the weapons and solid offensive line that will be available for that side of the ball, they should score points as well as any team in the league. The Bears could be a legitimate Super Bowl contender because of how potent their offense has the potential to be.
If Johnson, general manager Ryan Poles, or any other executive in the organization were to tell the truth about what they’re afraid of impacting their contention in 2026, they would admit two things: the defense and the division that they play in.
On defense, they have a couple of rooms that can be above average, but they have shown no ability to sustain a pass rush over a full season. If that continues into 2026, there will be problems.
As far as the division, the NFC North is very good right now. The Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings all have elite head coaches and parts of their team that would be considered “top-shelf,” but they all have at least one flaw that could prove to be fatal.
For the Packers, we know the ceiling that they have in their quarterback, but the roster as a whole may be good enough to go on a run. However, they will be missing Micah Parsons for a good portion of 2026. Parsons may be the best player at his position in the entire division, and he’s going to be on the shelf early and often.
The Lions have some off-the-field drama, as they recently cut cornerback Terrion Arnold for a run-in with the law that may cause him to have some jail time. On the field, he is an impactful player who helped their defense make plays, and now he’s simply gone from their roster.
Detroit has been trying to reel things back in since losing both of their coordinators, including Ben Johnson, following the 2024 season, and now they have this to overcome as well. Quarterback Jared Goff is still very good, but like Love, there is a ceiling to his play. The roster around him is good enough to win big, but they haven’t gotten over the hump yet.
The Vikings, with coach Kevin O’Connell, may have the best roster top to bottom in the division. However, they don’t have a quarterback nearly as good as Williams, Goff, or Love. All three of them would be significant upgrades over Kyler Murray or JJ McCarthy, who are battling for the starting role.
Minnesota failing to have that position figured out following the departure of Sam Darnold, who just won the Super Bowl as the starter for the Seattle Seahawks, will keep them from having as good a season as the Bears unless one of the guys they are banking on shocks the world.
Chicago is going to play a first-place schedule in 2026, but the door for them to win the division is cracked open just a bit more than it already was because of these factors at play for the other three rivals in the NFC North.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: There’s a path for the Bears to repeat as NFC North champions in 2026
Reporting by Vincent Parise, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Vincent Parise, Bears Wire | USA TODAY Network
