The Chicago Bears got the extension everybody wanted done. Darnell Wright, fresh off an All-Pro year, was locked up to a 4-year contract that makes him the highest-paid right tackle in football. Most thought that was the end of business for the Bears until next spring. They were wrong. With mere days to go before the season opener in Carolina, the team secured running back D’Andre Swift on a new three-year extension of his own, averaging just over $11 million per year. This comes after he put together a career-best season in 2025, rushing for 1,087 yards and adding 299 through the air. He scored 10 touchdowns.
On the surface, it’s the team rewarding a good player who still has gas in the tank. Swift is only 27 years old. He should have at least two more productive seasons in him before you start worrying about age and such. Yet there is more to it than that. By locking up Swift, the Bears have secured their entire offensive core through at least 2028. Only Cole Kmet becomes a free agent before that after 2027. Even if the team can’t keep him, they drafted his potential replacement this past April with Sam Roush.
This setup makes one thing clear. Next offseason’s focus has drastically narrowed.
D’Andre Swift now shifts the focus to defense in 2027.
The biggest complaint by far about the Bears’ roster construction to this point has been their heavy emphasis on offense in the 1st round of the draft. Since 2022, general manager Ryan Poles has held five such selections. Four of them have gone to the offensive side of the ball. Only one went to defense, and that was this year’s 25th overall pick, Dillon Thieneman. The Bears have tried to build that side of the ball with a mix of 2nd round picks and high-priced free agents. Results haven’t been favorable.
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Kyler Gordon hasn’t stayed healthy for over a year. Jaquan Brisker left in free agency. Gervon Dexter was traded. Shemar Turner still hasn’t returned from a torn ACL. Only Tyrique Stevenson is set to play on opening day, and he was benched last year. Then you have expensive free agent additions like Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett, who underperformed last year. Not to mention, there is safety Coby Bryant, who is already out with a knee injury. The Bears badly need to get serious about investing in that side of the ball.
That D’Andre Swift extension removes any further excuses.
Investing in the offense next spring would be a luxury.
Unless there is a serious injury or surprise retirement, the Bears have no glaring weakness they’ll have to address. Logan Jones is prepared to step in for Garrett Bradbury, who will be a free agent. Ozzy Trapilo is nearing his return at left tackle. They aren’t drafting a quarterback. Running back is no longer high on the priority list. Wide receiver? No. Tight end? Definitely not. Head coach Ben Johnson clearly doesn’t mind adding to the team’s strengths, but he’s also not naive. To win a championship, this team needs a strong defense, too.
That means the majority of next year’s draft and free agency decisions must be geared towards that aim. The Bears will have the resources to make it happen. They can free up significant cap space and will have all of their picks. It all comes down to whether Poles and his front office can finally land some true difference-makers. The offense is situated. They just need depth from this point. If the defense can get a big enough boost, this team will be chasing a championship next fall.
