The Chicago Bears have completed offseason work for 2026. General manager Ryan Poles has done his best to piece together a roster capable of going further than last season. It falls on the coaching staff to get the most out of the players. The first objective is taking down the Carolina Panthers on opening day. As we learned last season, expecting the Bears to get off to a strong start is never wise. After all, they’re 3-7 in the past decade in week one. That includes 1-3 on the road.
Regardless of what happened last season, it is unwise to make any assumptions about this team. The best thing to do is look at the matchup with an unbiased eye. You might be surprised by what you see. Here is a full breakdown of the matchup.
Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers backstory:
Two playoff teams from 2025 get to prove whether last season was a fluke. The Panthers have the home-field advantage and no doubt believe they’re being disrespected by people who say last season was more luck than ability. The argument is at least fair. Carolina made the playoffs despite going 8-9 while boasting an offense that ranked 27th and a defense that ranked 16th. They lost three of their last four to end the season, and then the wild-card game against the Los Angeles Rams. Is it disrespect or a fair critique?
As for the Bears, many view them as the prime regression candidate this year. Their success in 2025 was predicated on two major factors: takeaways and 4th quarter comebacks. Both are unpredictable variables that are difficult to sustain from year to year. As good a play-caller as Ben Johnson is and as talented as the Bears are on offense, they may not have a complete enough roster to replicate last season. How they perform in Carolina will tell a lot about what to expect.
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Injuries:
WR Rome Odunze (Leg)
With D.J. Moore gone, the Chicago Bears have really placed a lot of faith in Odunze to fill the void alongside Luther Burden at wide receiver. That is hard to do if he can’t stay healthy. A foot injury already ruined last season. Now he’s dealing with a leg issue that left him out of Chicago’s Monday practice, leaving his status uncertain. With the Bears being an offense-first team, they can’t afford to lose one of their key weapons against a Panthers defense that was decent against the pass last year.
Taylor Moton (Blood clot)
Injuries have sprouted all over the Carolina roster this offseason, but nowhere has it hit harder than the offensive line. They already didn’t have left tackle Ikem Ekwonu because of a knee injury. Now they’ll be without Moton, their best blocker, because of a scary blood clot issue that could keep him out for several more weeks. That leaves the Panthers with two backups at their tackle spots. It is a prime opportunity for Montez Sweat and the Bears’ defensive line to get after Bryce Young.
Key matchups:
WR Jalen Coker vs. CB Malik Muhammad
No area of the Chicago Bears’ defense was exploited more than in the slot last season. That was the price paid for not having cornerback Kyler Gordon for 14 games. He is now out for at least another four, meaning that area is one the Panthers are sure to attack. Coker was their favorite slot option last season, giving them some big performances in crucial games. It sounds like he’ll be challenged by the Bears’ rookie 4th round pick, who’s spent training camp and the preseason working exclusively at nickel corner. How he holds up in that matchup may dictate the flow of the game.
TE Colston Loveland vs. LB Devin Lloyd
One of the reasons Carolina spent so much money acquiring Lloyd in free agency was that they were victimized by opposing tight ends several times last season. They needed a more athletic linebacker to defend the middle of the field. Lloyd had 5 interceptions in 2025 with Jacksonville. He’s also 6’3″ and 235 lbs. Whether any of that matters against Loveland is debatable. Chicago’s emerging star tight end pretty much had his way with every defense he faced last season. Lloyd has struggled against top tight ends like George Kittle and Trey McBride. If the Panthers play him in the middle, which looks like the plan, that complicates things since he’s primarily a weakside guy.
X-factors:
RB Chuba Hubbard
One of the persistent issues with Carolina has been their ability to run the ball consistently. One thing that was true last season is that the team won more when they could. They were 4-2 in games where they ran for at least 125 yards on the ground. With the health status of Jonathan Brooks uncertain, Hubbard figures to get the primary carries on Sunday. He rushed for 1,100 yards in 2024 and remains a capable back. Chicago’s run defense was 27th in the NFL last season. How he fares will be worth watching.
EDGE Austin Booker
Lots of people were upset when the Bears didn’t address the edge rush this offseason. The team seems intent on giving Booker a legitimate shot to emerge after his strong finish to 2025, where he had 4.5 sacks in his final 6 games. The Bears were 3-1 in games where the young defensive end had at least a half sack. Everybody knows the Panthers will devote extra blocking to stop Montez Sweat. That means Booker must take advantage of the one-on-one opportunities he’s sure to get.
Prediction: Bears win 31-27
When you have a matchup between two of the best offensive play callers, Ben Johnson and Dave Canales, you should expect points. Neither defense is overly imposing. The key here is that Chicago has more firepower on paper. They also have the more talented quarterback and the healthier offensive line. It won’t be an easy game by any means. The Panthers have a reputation for being pesky, and they’ll find ways to make it an uncomfortable game. Still, expect Williams to close it out late and get out with a victory.
