Is this finally the year for the Chicago Bears?
What are realistic expectations for the Chicago Bears in 2025?
As a Bears fan, calling the entire fan experience “disappointing” is an understatement. Over the last five seasons, it feels like fans have been fed nothing but false hope, mostly fueled by offseason hype. But this year feels different. The puzzle finally seems complete—at least on paper.
While the 2024 season was rough for quarterback Caleb Williams, he showed more than enough to prove he’s the franchise QB moving forward. With new head coach Ben Johnson expected to get the best out of him, optimism is justifiable.
General Manager Ryan Poles addressed one of the Bears’ biggest weaknesses—the offensive line—by bringing in veteran guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, the latter of whom previously played under Johnson in Detroit. D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, D’Andre Swift, and Colston Loveland are set to be the key skill-position players for Chicago in 2025. Johnson already knows what he’s getting from Moore and Swift—two proven veterans. The real question is: what will they get out of the trio of Odunze, Burden, and Loveland?
There’s little doubt that Odunze is incredibly talented, but if he can’t put it all together and produce the numbers, raw talent won’t be enough. Burden and Loveland, both rookies, could be breakout players. Offensively, the Bears have more than enough talent for Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams to work with. There are no excuses on that side of the ball in 2025.
Defensively is where most of the question marks lie. With the additions of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo, the front four—rounded out by Gervon Dexter and Montez Sweat—looks to be the strongest unit on that side of the ball. The Bears don’t necessarily need linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards to be superstars, but as experienced veterans, they can provide stability. Given that the defensive line and secondary are the two strongest units on defense, that’s all the team should need from them.
The biggest concern is whether safety Jaquan Brisker can stay healthy. If he can, the secondary becomes an above-average unit and helps anchor the defense alongside the defensive line.
The NFC North was arguably the best division in football last season, and I expect it to be just as competitive in 2025. The good news for the Bears is that they took away one of Detroit’s top weapons—Ben Johnson. Anything short of a playoff appearance in 2025 would be a massive disappointment. But with an offensive-minded head coach and a quarterback many believe is the answer, there’s more hope than ever.
