CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 08: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears looks to pass during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field on September 08, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Titans 24-17. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears had one of the most disappointing seasons in the entire NFL, going 5-12, losing 10 of their last 11 games of the regular season. The Bears had high hopes after drafting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but the team would struggle with an inconsistent offensive line and a rough coaching staff. The Bears would fire their head coach, Matt Eberflus, after a disappointing loss to the Lions in week 13. The Bears entered 2025 needing to reload and rebuild around their franchise quarterback, Williams.
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The first move of the offseason was the hiring of new head coach Ben Johnson, who had previously been the offensive coordinator for the Lions. The Lions had the most dominant offense last season under Johnson, thanks to his play-calling. Chicago would also trade for guard Joe Thuney from the Chiefs, who was an All-Pro last season. They also traded for guard Jonah Jackson from the Rams, adding another piece to the offensive line. The final move on the offensive line was signing center Drew Dalman from the Falcons.
The Bears didn’t stop there this offseason; they also signed defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, defensive lineman Grady Jarrett, running back Travis Homer and wide receivers Devin Duverney and Olamide Zaccheaus. Chicago also hired Dennis Allen as their defensive coordinator. Allen was previously the Saints’ head coach before getting fired in 2024, but he brings a lot of defensive experience to an already above-average defense.
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Chicago gave Williams two new weapons in the first two rounds of the NFL draft, selecting tight end Colston Loveland out of Michigan and wide receiver Luther Burden III out of Missouri. Both will add even more depth to Johnson’s offense, giving him more pieces to help develop Williams’ talent. The Bears also selected offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and defensive tackle Shemar Turner in the second and third rounds.
The Bears will have to prove they can finally compete in the NFC after having another successful offseason. Chicago has the second-most-demanding schedule in the NFL and plays in one of the toughest divisions in football: the NFC North. The Bears open the season vs the Vikings at home in a huge divisional matchup. The Bears play several teams who made the playoffs last season, including the Vikings, Lions, Commanders, Ravens, Steelers, Eagles and the Packers. Chicago will have to put together the pieces offensively if it wants to compete against one of the most demanding schedules in the NFL.
The Bears open with +4000 odds of winning the Super Bowl and +1900 odds of winning the NFC Championship. Chicago goes into week one as -1.5 point favorites vs the Vikings and is favored in seven of their games this season.
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