Ranking 2026 Chicago Bears position groups from best to worst
· Yahoo Sports
Only a couple weeks remain until the Chicago Bears return to Halas Hall to begin training camp, where they will prepare to defend their NFC North title and build upon the success they had in 2025 under head coach Ben Johnson.
Chicago has retooled their roster through a mix of free agency, the draft, and even trades this offseason. So how does each position group stack up against one another now that the rosters are finalized? Which position has the most depth and which group is the weakest?
Visit saltysenoritaaz.org for more information.
Here are the Bears' position groups ranked from best to worst heading into the 2026 season:
1. Tight ends
The Bears were able to manhandle defenses with their two and three tight end sets in 2025, and now that position looks even better going into 2026. They have a budding superstar in Colston Loveland, a dependable veteran who would be a solid starter for half the league in Cole Kmet, and an intriguing rookie who has loads of potential in Sam Roush.
Last season, Loveland and Kmet combined for 88 receptions for 1,060 yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season. And Loveland only became a focal point during the second half of the season. As quarterback Caleb Williams said earlier in the offseason, the Bears have three absolute dogs at the position now. It's not only the best position group on the team, but it very well could be the best tight end room in football.
2. Offensive line
The Bears' offensive line may have secured the top spot in this ranking had it not been for Drew Dalman's sudden retirement. Even with the team having to pivot at the center position, they still have a formidable unit. Joe Thuney is the reigning Protector of the Year; Darnell Wright earned Second-Team All-Pro honors last year; and Jonah Jackson rebounded with an excellent first year in Chicago. All three played pivotal roles in Williams' sack totals plummeting from 68 to 24, as well as the top-five rushing attack.
The question marks on the line are at center and left tackle. With Dalman retiring, the Bears traded for Garrett Bradbury and drafted Logan Jones. Bradbury, while serviceable, isn't at the same level as Dalman, while Jones still must prove himself. And at left tackle, Braxton Jones is the presumed starter in place of Ozzy Trapilo following his severe knee injury after re-signing on a one-year deal. It's not a perfect unit, but they are still one of the best position groups on the Bears and across the NFL.
3. Quarterbacks
When is the last time you can remember the Bears' quarterback room being a top-three position group on the team? That's the Caleb Williams effect. In his second season, Williams officially broke out by throwing 3,942 yards (a team record), 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and three rushing touchdowns. Most importantly, though, were his legendary comebacks that led to some of the best franchise victories in recent memory. Williams is on the cusp of stardom in Ben Johnson's offense and hopes are high that he winds up as a top-five quarterback in the league at year's end.
While Williams is the primary reason for the ranking, the Bears have quality depth behind him. Tyson Bagent is a solid QB2 and could see his stock rise higher should he see meaningful playing time. And Case Keenum is a savvy veteran who can function as a pseudo QB coach as well as a capable option if needed on the field.
4. Running backs
Running backs D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai may not be stars at their position, but together they make up one of the best duos across the league. Swift and Monangai combined for 1,870 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. With Swift's quickness and burst along with Monangai's bruising style, the Bears offense was humming with these two spelling one another.
The only thing limiting the Bears' running back group is depth. There is no clear answer as to who will be the team's third-string back between a cast that includes Roschon Johnson, Brittain Brown, and Coleman Bennett. Johnson and Brown had just a handful of carries last year, while Bennett is an undrafted rookie out of Kennesaw State. The top two players are excellent, but the depth causes the running backs as a whole to fall a bit.
5. Safeties
The Bears' safety room looks a lot different than it did a year ago. Three of the top four players are new editions in 2026, but hopes are high for the group as a whole. Coby Bryant was the team's splashy free agent signing back in March after a superb stint with the Seattle Seahawks, while Dillon Thieneman was the top draft choice in April to give the Bears a new dynamic duo.
Behind them are Elijah Hicks and Cam Lewis, two veterans that have experience as starters, with Hicks being the lone player to return from 2025. It could take some time for Bryant and Thieneman to gel as starters, so this is a group that should improve as the season goes on.
6. Cornerbacks
Heading into last season, the Bears had a strong cornerback unit and one of the better secondaries in the league overall. Things change pretty quickly, though. Despite still having Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon at the position, this group has more questions than answers going into training camp. Johnson and Gordon each missed the majority of the 2025 season with various injuries, and they said goodbye to Nahshon Wright and CJ Gardner-Johnson, both of whom played significant roles last season.
Right now, it seems Johnson is fully healthy and has a chance to bounce back to his Pro Bowl form from a couple of years ago. Gordon's situation is murkier, however. He still seems to be dealing with soft tissue injuries and wasn't fully available during offseason workouts. If everything goes well and both players rebound, plus Tyrique Stevenson and/or Malik Muhammad having serviceable years, then this group will look much better than its ranking. Right now, however, there are too many question marks to ignore.
7. Wide receivers
The Bears' wide receivers are an intriguing bunch heading into the 2026 season. The group has plenty of talent, with Luther Burden and Rome Odunze as possible breakout candidates, but neither one has shown they can be a true WR1 yet. Burden and Odunze are both extremely young and have flashed for stretches of games last year. Odunze was on a tear for the first few weeks of the season before getting injured, while Burden finished the year strong as a trusted pass catcher for Williams. Each one finished with just over 600 receiving yards. Now, they each need to show they can be reliable for an entire season. They don't have DJ Moore around anymore to make the clutch plays after he was dealt to the Buffalo Bills. Someone should emerge—we just have to see it happen.
Behind them, veteran Kalif Raymond is the most accomplished receiver on the team, though he hasn't eclipsed 500 receiving yards in a season since 2022. He's a solid player but will primarily be used on special teams and as a third or fourth option. Jahdae Walker and Zavion Thomas are two more young players that could develop into trusted options, but they have to prove it.
8. Special teams
If you're looking for an average special teams unit, the Bears' group fits that description perfectly. Cairo Santos has converted around 84% of his field goals over the last two seasons but still has clutch moments throughout the season despite having a weaker leg that limits his distance. Tory Taylor finished No. 13 overall in yards per punt last year but was bottom five in touchback percentage (11.7%). This group is nothing to write home about and will be solid at best.
9. Linebackers
These aren't your dad's or even your older sibling's Bears linebackers. A proud position in the franchise's history, the 2026 linebacking corps doesn't feature perennial Pro Bowl players or exciting prospects. The Bears are hoping to retool the position around Devin Bush, who finally came alive in Year 7 with the Cleveland Browns, D'Marco Jackson, who looked decent while filling in late last year, and TJ Edwards, who is coming off a broken fibula after an already injury-plagued season.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wanted to get faster at the position, and he did that by signing Bush to a three-year deal and bringing back Jackson. Even with those signings, this is still one of the weaker groups on the team. Their weaknesses are amplified thanks in part to the final position group on this list.
10. Defensive line
The Bears' defensive line was the biggest weakness during the 2025 season, and it remains so heading into 2026. Chicago didn't do much of anything to upgrade the position, aside from adding depth pieces such as Neville Gallimore and Jordan van den Berg. Instead, the hope is that the unit can gel after injuries ravaged the starting lineup in 2025.
Free agent acquisitions Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo were ineffective and injured after signing lucrative deals, while Gervon Dexter has only developed into a serviceable defensive tackle. Austin Booker and Shemar Turner both missed significant time, and Montez Sweat, while effective, still isn't playing up to his contract he signed back in 2023. The Bears were tied for seventh-fewest sacks and allowed the sixth-most yards per game on the ground. They're putting a lot of faith in multiple players to bounce back, but chances are the defensive line will remain a below-average unit before the Bears can overhaul it in 2027.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ranking 2026 Chicago Bears position groups from best to worst