What grade did Chicago Bears receive for 2026 offseason?

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The Chicago Bears are coming off a success 2025 season that included an 11-6 record, NFC North championship and playoff win in Ben Johnson's first season as head coach. But the 2026 season features a new set of challenges as Chicago looks to remain on top.

The Bears didn't have quite the impactful offseason that they had last year, when they overhauled the entire interior offensive line and added some top playmakers in tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III. But they did add some playmakers at safety in veteran Coby Bryant and first-round rookie Dillon Thieneman while adding some new pieces for Johnson on offense, including center Logan Jones, tight end Sam Roush and receiver Zavion Thomas.

While Chicago has "won the offseason" for the last three seasons, that wasn't necessarily the case this year, which is good, considering they already have some key pieces in place. But they also didn't lose the offseason either. In fact, ESPN's Seth Walder gave the Bears a "B+" for their 2026 offseason, breaking down some key factors.

Best move: Trading DJ Moore to Bills​

Walder praised the Bears' decision to trade veteran receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, landing a 2026 second-round pick in the process, which also included sending a fourth-rounder to Buffalo. That second-round selection turned into Logan Jones, who Chicago views as their center of the future for quarterback Caleb Williams, and the Bears got much-needed salary cap relief.

Chicago opened its second offseason of the Ben Johnson era with a strong value trade, getting a second-round pick for Moore and a fifth-round selection. That might not sound incredible, but consider the situation. Moore was coming off consecutive disappointing seasons and the extension he signed prior to the 2024 campaign is really kicking into gear only now. Even though there are hefty cash salaries remaining on the contract, the Bears somehow got the Bills to give up real draft capital to take that money off Chicago's books.

Praise for addressing center position​

The Bears were delivered their biggest shock of the offseason when Drew Dalman elected to retire after just five NFL seasons. Dalman had a Pro Bowl year in his first season with Chicago, and he was key to the offense's success and Caleb Williams' development. But the Bears wasted no time addressing one of the most important positions in Ben Johnson's offense by trading for veteran Garrett Bradbury and then drafting Logan Jones in the second round.

In early March, center Drew Dalman made the surprising decision to retire at age 27. It was a blow, as Dalman was part of a successful offensive line makeover made the year before. The Bears moved quickly in a tight center market, trading for Garrett Bradbury to give themselves a floor at the position. They also drafted Logan Jones, who they hope can take over long term, in the second round.

Secondary changes​

Chicago lost some key members of their defense this offseason, including starting safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard, who played a key role in the Bears' top-ranked takeaway defense. But with their departures, Chicago wasted no time adding some playmakers in veteran Coby Bryant in free agency and drafting Dillon Thieneman in the first round of the NFL draft.

The Bears' defense generated a ton of turnovers last season, but those takeaways helped disguise the fact that it was one of the worst defenses in the league on non-turnover plays. Turnovers are high leverage but fluky, and the Bears did well in not assuming they could repeat that feat. They underwent significant secondary change, letting safeties Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker and cornerback Nahshon Wright depart. They brought in two new safeties in free agent signee Coby Bryant and first-round pick Dillon Thieneman.

Questions about the pass rush​

One of the biggest criticisms surrounding the Bears this offseason, and why they didn't crack an A grade, is their failure to address the pass rush in a significant way. Chicago didn't add any notable edge rushers and added depth along the defensive interior, banking on the guys already on the roster.

The Bears are in a pretty tight cap situation, but it's hard not to look at this team and think it could have used reinforcements on the edge. The focus will be on quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense, but Chicago's defense is still a question mark.

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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: What grade did Chicago Bears receive for 2026 offseason?

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