Chicago Bears still considered NFC North cellar dwellers despite offseason moves

The Chicago Bears have been one of the most talked about teams of the offseason, primarily due to their aggressive moves throughout. However, the Bears still have an uphill climb as they attempt to return to the top of the NFC North.

Chicago is coming off of a 5-12 season. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2020 and they haven’t won a playoff game since 2010. For all the goodwill the Bears have earned throughout the offseason, none of it matters until there are results on the gridiron.

On the flip slide, all three of of the Bears’ NFC North rivals made the playoffs in 2024. Furthermore, they all finished higher on Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports’ NFC rankings. The Detroit Lions led the way at No. 2 while the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings followed at No. 5 and No. 8 respectively. The Bears are chasing the pack at No. 9.

“The Chicago Bears have done precisely what a team should do when they have a promising young quarterback on his rookie deal,” Sullivan wrote. “First off, they gave him an offensive-minded head coach in Ben Johnson. Then, they crafted a tantalizing offense around him, primarily by shoring up the interior of the offensive line by inserting Joe Thuney at left guard, Drew Dalman at center and Jonah Jackson at right guard.”

“They also gave Caleb Williams tight end Colston Loveland and wideout Luther Burden III to work with in the passing game via the NFL Draft,” Sullivan continued. “Grady Jarrett was a strong addition along the defensive line as well. Even in a tough NFC North division, don’t sleep on Chicago’s upside.”

Chicago Bears’ 2025 revival 

It wouldn’t make much sense to rank the Bears high than the Lions, Vikings or Packers. All three are going through massive roster changes, but they have at least proven they have successful cores. Chicago’s main goal in 2025 is finding their foundation fully implementing Johnson’s vision.

Before anyone starts thinking playoffs, the Bears must undergo a true revival on both sides of the ball. Chicago finished the 2024 campaign ranked dead last in offense, averaging 284.6 yards per game. Only the New England Patriots were worse in the pass game, as the Bears averaged a measly 181.5 YPG.

If the team is going to take a step forward, it’ll be on Caleb Williams’ shoulders. Chicago has stocked their offense with a brand new offensive line and plenty of flashy pass catchers to work with. If Williams finds his groove and reaches his No. 1 pick potential, the Bears will soar. If there continues to be growing pains, the same conversations will be had in 2026.

But for all the shine Johnson and his offense brings to the franchise, they can’t forget about the defense. Chicago ranked 27th in total defense, allowing 354.3 YPG. They were especially bad against the run, ranking 28th overall by allowing 136.3.

Johnson and the Bears turning to new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to help fix the issue. He’ll have plenty of talent to work with with players such as Montez Sweat, Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson. But if the offense is going to have a glow up, the defense must be shining alongside it.

The Bears’ offseason hype levels have reached the stratosphere. All the takes and speculation will be answered come regular season. Until then, Chicago is still at the bottom of the NFC North looking to climb their way back up.