The Chicago Bears are done speculating. Training camp is over. The preseason has passed. It’s time to play some real football games. Their quest to finish what they started last season begins in Carolina against a Panthers team that made the playoffs last season. It’s a team that had a habit of playing its best against good teams. The Bears certainly fit that category, which is why this figures to be a competitive game. Or at least it should be unless the Panthers can’t stop losing key players.
This offseason has been a brutal one for them. Injuries have slammed their roster across the board. Neither starting offensive tackle will play in this game. One is dealing with a knee injury, and the other has blood clot issues. The defense has been hit just as hard. Promising young pass rusher Nic Scourton tore his ACL, ending his season before it began. Defensive tackle Bobby Brown is dealing with a back problem. Now the team has more bad news up front, as pass rusher Pat Jones will not play due to a back injury.
The Chicago Bears don’t need much help.
Carolina is smart enough to know that. This unit is loaded with young, dynamic talent. They had one of the best offensive lines in football last season, and it’s mostly the same as last year. The only difference is the retirement of center Drew Dalman, who’s been replaced by veteran Garrett Bradbury. With Scourton and Jones now out, the Panthers’ depth on the edges has become a major concern. Big-ticket free agent addition Jaelan Phillips and former 2nd round pick Princely Umanmielen are their two likely starters.
After that, you’re looking at guys like Trevis Gipson and Thomas Incoom. Asking them to get past Darnell Wright feels like an exercise in futility. If they can’t take advantage of Braxton Jones on the other side, it could be a long day on defense for Carolina. Caleb Williams is hard enough to defend even when he’s constantly under pressure. If you let him have clean pockets on a regular basis, you’re asking for trouble. This doesn’t even mention the Chicago Bears’ strong rushing attack. The Panthers were 20th against the run last season.
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Jones’ loss gives the Bears a clearer game plan.
Their goal in this matchup is simplified. Slow down Phillips, and the odds are pretty good that Carolina won’t be able to generate much pressure off the edge. That means an interior defensive front that had 10 sacks total last season must pick up the slack against Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. You’re starting to see the domino effect here. Jones’ loss isn’t crippling to the Panthers, but it hurts. They were already going to have a hard time stopping the Bears. Losing a pass rusher makes it even worse.
Still, the burden falls on Chicago to take advantage. They can’t just assume that their success last season will magically carry over into 2026. As Johnson has said several times, that team is gone. This one has no reason to be cocky about anything. It is starting at zero with everybody else. If the Bears want respect, they’ll have to go out again and earn it.
