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The Chicago Bears shocked the NFL world last season, going from worst to first, winning the NFC North and earning their first postseason win in nearly two decades in Ben Johnson's first season as head coach. And according to Bears legend Brian Urlacher, they're just getting started.
Following Chicago's immediate success under Johnson, there are questions about whether the Bears will regress in one of the league's toughest divisions and with the most difficult strength of schedule. But Urlacher believes that won't be the case with Chicago, especially with the duo of Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams.
"You saw their overtime. They're right there, and you saw how close the Rams played those Seahawks division opponents, obviously," Urlacher said, via Roto Grinders. "But I don't think they're far off. I mean, they've done some good things this offseason. Caleb's just going to get better and better. Ben Johnson's going to figure out more of what he has on his team, great hire he was, his first year they did what they did.
"But yeah, it's exciting. They just put some more pieces around that quarterback, and the good thing they have is Caleb is on his rookie contract. So they can actually pay some other guys around him to help them until he gets that big deal, until he gets the extension. Then it's a little different then, because all your money goes through the quarterback. But until then they can, they can do some things."
The Bears' contention window opened a year early with their surprise success in Williams' sophomore season, and they still have two years left on his rookie deal. But assuming Williams proves himself in Year 3, Chicago will be looking to lock him down for the long-term at the conclusion of the 2026 season.
Johnson's work with Williams, and the offense as a whole, will once again be a key factor in their potential success in 2026. With questions surrounding the defense, it's up to this top-five offense to replicate their success and position their team for another postseason run.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Brian Urlacher explains why Bears will be a real contender in 2026
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Following Chicago's immediate success under Johnson, there are questions about whether the Bears will regress in one of the league's toughest divisions and with the most difficult strength of schedule. But Urlacher believes that won't be the case with Chicago, especially with the duo of Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams.
"You saw their overtime. They're right there, and you saw how close the Rams played those Seahawks division opponents, obviously," Urlacher said, via Roto Grinders. "But I don't think they're far off. I mean, they've done some good things this offseason. Caleb's just going to get better and better. Ben Johnson's going to figure out more of what he has on his team, great hire he was, his first year they did what they did.
"But yeah, it's exciting. They just put some more pieces around that quarterback, and the good thing they have is Caleb is on his rookie contract. So they can actually pay some other guys around him to help them until he gets that big deal, until he gets the extension. Then it's a little different then, because all your money goes through the quarterback. But until then they can, they can do some things."
The Bears' contention window opened a year early with their surprise success in Williams' sophomore season, and they still have two years left on his rookie deal. But assuming Williams proves himself in Year 3, Chicago will be looking to lock him down for the long-term at the conclusion of the 2026 season.
Johnson's work with Williams, and the offense as a whole, will once again be a key factor in their potential success in 2026. With questions surrounding the defense, it's up to this top-five offense to replicate their success and position their team for another postseason run.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Brian Urlacher explains why Bears will be a real contender in 2026
Continue reading...
