The Chicago Bears have played nine international games in their history to date. Their last three have all been to London, England. With the NFL posting a huge slate of international games for the 2026 season, it felt almost inevitable that the Bears would be a natural option for one of them. The only question would be where they go. There are plenty of options. They could return to London, where they have marketing rights and a large fanbase eager to see them again. Germany, Mexico, and Brazil have also become popular options.

However, a recent post on Twitter (X) dropped a colossal hint about where that game will take place. Recently, Iker Sagasti is a Spanish Journalist who covers the NFL. He posted a photograph of the iconic Rock of Gibraltar at the southern tip of Spain. It borders La Línea de la Concepción. Where it gets interesting is that the city is the home of Cristian Saban Carretero, a finalist nominated by the Bears for NFL International Fan of the Year 2025. Sure enough, the team’s Spanish Twitter account retweeted Sagasti’s post with two unmistakable emojis.

It looks like the Chicago Bears are going to Spain.

This makes sense for two reasons. First, the NFL just opened up that market when the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders played in Madrid last season. The league likely wanted to test the waters. Now that the reception was good, they’ll want to bring in one of their bigger franchises. Chicago is not only a great draw thanks to their recent success, but it also holds exclusive rights to the Spanish market. It was only a matter of time before they wanted to get the team in front of fans over there.

There isn’t much left to do in London. The Chicago Bears are well-established there. It is time to grow their influence elsewhere. Logically, it makes sense to head for mainland Europe. Spain has the fifth-largest economy on the continent and is probably the most untapped of any. They have arguably the most rabid soccer fans in the world, so sports are a big deal there. Let’s also not forget that Chicago has a large Hispanic demographic. Leaning into that is only natural.

So who would the Bears play?

Right now, the heavy favorite in such a scenario would be the Dolphins. The two teams are already scheduled to play each other this season. The Chicago Bears have nine home games on their schedule, so they would likely play host. Miami already played there last season, and it is one of two teams with exclusive marketing rights in the country. It isn’t hard to see why this matchup would be the obvious choice. Probably the other team to watch would be the Jacksonville Jaguars, who play the Bears as well and faced them two years ago in London.

A Dolphins scenario would be the most intriguing. Miami was just taken over by general manager Jon Eric-Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley. Both came from the Green Bay Packers. There would likely be some residual bad blood from the rivalry. All of that aside, every sign points to the Bears playing overseas. The NFL wants to capitalize on the team’s popularity to help grow the game outside the U.S. Spain is as good of a place as any.

Sports Mockery and other outlets have reported escalating tension between the Chicago Bears team president, Kevin Warren, and the McCaskey family. Ownership hired him to guide the organization through its efforts to get a new stadium built in Arlington Heights. More than three years have passed since Warren took over, and the team still hasn’t begun construction. He made many promises, including getting shovels in the ground by 2025. None has come to pass. Even now, the team remains deadlocked on what to do, whether to continue pushing for Arlington Heights or cross the border into Indiana.

All the while, George McCaskey’s frustration with Warren has only grown. He and his family feel the man hasn’t lived up to his end of the deal. He sold ownership on the idea that his experience with U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota made him the perfect candidate for the job. All evidence points to the contrary. It begs the question of when the relationship started to sour somewhat. Adam Jahns of CHGO mentioned what was likely the origins of this mess. It came early in 2024.

I don’t think I’ll ever understand the time, money and energy spent on the Bears’ decision to try and work with Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson on their next stadium under Warren. The team already owned Arlington Park – and put a significant amount of time, money and energy into that process. 

On April 24, 2024 – just over a year after Warren was hired – the Bears released renderings and their plans for the lakefront in the form of the Burnham Park Project. All of it was impressive…

…But the Bears’ plan received no support from Gov. JB Pritzker or other lawmakers.

Kevin Warren would likely have a deal done already if not for that detour.

Nothing about the strategy of pivoting to downtown Chicago made sense. Warren had to know he would encounter heavy resistance from activist groups aiming to protect public land from private enterprises. It’s exactly why the Bears were never able to make serious renovations to Soldier Field. Never mind that he was asking for serious help from the state, which was already resisting the Arlington Park venture despite the team owning the property. It all felt like a hairbrained scheme cooked up by someone completely ignorant of the forces at play in the state.

One year. That is how long it took for Kevin Warren to finally give up that chase. By then, the Arlington Heights discussions had cooled. It would take time to heat them back up. When Governor Pritzker and his government weren’t willing to move faster, Warren finally engaged with Indiana about a stadium in the northwest region. That was something the McCaskeys had always wanted to avoid. Yet here we are. It’s fair to assume construction might already be underway if Warren had just stayed focused on Arlington.

That blunder was a key factor in the entire mess that followed. For all his big talk, the Bears president has done little more than waste time and money, which doesn’t sit well with an owner that has less of it to throw around than most in this league.

You never know the true mettle of an organization until its spot on the mountaintop is threatened. For over 30 years, the Green Bay Packers have ruled the NFC North with an iron fist, winning two Super Bowls and enjoying an unbroken streak of Hall of Fame quarterback play. However, things have shifted significantly in the past few years. It started with the Detroit Lions knocking them off their perch in the division in 2023 and 2024. They couldn’t have known even worse was to come.

One thing the Packers could always hang their hat on was their dominance over their endless rivalry with the Chicago Bears. They’d lost just five games in a stretch between 2008 and 2023. That started changing when Caleb Williams stunned them in the 2024 season finale at Lambeau Field. Most chalked it up to a fluke occurrence, which was reinforced by the Packers’ revenge win at home last season. Then it all came crashing down. The Bears not only got payback in the rematch at Soldier Field but also shocked them in the wild-card playoffs, overcoming a 21-3 deficit in the process.

It was the ultimate humiliation, especially with what Williams did after the game.

The Green Bay Packers are haunted by that moment.

If you don’t believe that, you merely have to look at what the franchise is enacting this offseason. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk revealed that Green Bay brass are cracking down on season ticket holders who have been reselling tickets on the secondary market. They’ve issued a threat that anyone caught doing this would have their tickets permanently revoked and given to the next person on the waiting list. They insist it’s to ensure the gameday experience is pure for Packer fans. Florio believes the real motivation is to keep those cheese-grater hats out of Lambeau Field.

“Season Ticket Holders who repeatedly resell their season tickets, whether on the secondary market or through ticket brokers (directly or indirectly), may have their renewal ability impacted without further warning.”

If ever you needed proof that an organization is mentally soft, this is as good as it gets. Chicago is no stranger to it. When the Blackhawks were at the peak of their dynasty in the 2010s, the Nashville Predators made significant changes to their ticket restrictions to keep Chicago fans out. It didn’t help. The Blackhawks knocked them out of the playoffs in 2014-2015, then went on to win their third Stanley Cup in six years. Rather than spending their valuable time building a better team, the Predators focused on keeping opposing fans out. This is not the policy of a true winner. Yet here the Packers are copying the strategy.

The Packers know a priceless opportunity was wasted.

Injuries hit them hard last season, and a precious year in the Micah Parsons window is gone. Now they enter a stretch where they will have no 1st round picks for two years, and the star pass rusher is coming off a torn ACL. The Green Bay Packers remain adamant they are still the top of the NFC North despite not winning the division since Aaron Rodgers left. Nobody fears them anymore. That mystique that characterized the glory years of 1995 to 2020 is gone. Chicago, Detroit, and Minnesota all now know they’re mortal.

It felt like the Packers were desperate to reassert control when they traded for Parsons. Now they’re trying to find other methods by keeping opposing fans out. This is somewhat ironic since Green Bay fans travel better than most in the NFL. It is clear they did not enjoy their national embarrassment and are determined to control the narrative, however possible. Not that keeping opposing fans out will make their team any better.

The Chicago Bears masterfully worked the trade market last offseason to overhaul their offensive line, landing Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney in quick succession. It’s led many to wonder whether general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson might have another move or two up their sleeves before the league year opens on March 11th. As always, it comes down to the right players being available at the right price. Jackson and Thuney were timely names that had different reasons for being on the market. Jackson’s was health and scheme fit, while Thuney was money.

According to Albert Breer of the MMQB, the team to watch right now is the Miami Dolphins. From what he’s heard, the new GM Jon Eric-Sullivan is keen on kick-starting a rebuild. They’ve already unloaded multiple top veterans, headlined by Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb. Internally, the hope is that they can do the same with some of their other veterans on the roster via trade.

It sure feels like the Dolphins moving on from Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb is a precursor to the team building up a warchest of draft capital, and they do have a few veterans that would be of interest to contenders.

If this is true, it is an opportunity the Bears can’t pass up. There are a few names on that roster who could help them immediately.

The Chicago Bears should be heavily focused on two names.

First is Minkah Fitzpatrick. The 30-year-old safety was traded back to Miami last season after the Pittsburgh Steelers moved to acquire Jalen Ramsey. A three-time All-Pro, he remains one of the better players at his position in the NFL. Remember, the Bears have four safeties coming out of contract this offseason, including starters Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. Fitzpatrick has one year left on his current deal. The Bears should be able to extend him after a trade, knocking down his $18 million cap hit to something more favorable. His versatility and playmaking instincts would be an instant hit with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

Given his age, the Bears likely would be looking at some sort of pick swap.

The other name to watch is De’Von Achane. Coach Johnson loves his running backs. He particularly loves running backs with speed. Few in the NFL are faster than Achane, and that isn’t the extent of his game. He runs harder than he gets credit for and has great vision to find holes. He’d be a great fit in Chicago’s outside-zone scheme. With D’Andre Swift in the last year of his contract, trading for the younger Achane makes sense. Also, don’t forget the Bears now employ Eric Studesville, the man who developed him in Miami.

Much depends on what the market is for both and how fast the Bears move.

Part of their success last season was the Poles’ ability to recognize that the market was open for both guards and moving fast. The same strategy must be applied here. Fitzpatrick is the more likely player Miami is willing to move. He’s on the older side and leaving his prime. Unloading his cap hit is a primary goal for them. If the Chicago Bears aren’t certain they can get Byard back at a reasonable price, this trade makes the most sense, presuming Fitzpatrick is open to some kind of extension.

Achane is younger and can be a dynamic offensive piece. The Dolphins may want to keep him, especially if they’re planning changes at quarterback. Still, there is a chance he’s available, too. Seeing him in Johnson’s offense has to excite the Bears brass. Most importantly, neither of these moves would break the bank in terms of draft compensation. Neither player is likely to cost more than a 5th. That is a price Poles has shown he’s willing to pay for proven players.

The Chicago Bears went into the 2025 offseason with a clear agenda: upgrade the trenches. Most of the focus was on the offensive line, with names like Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Drew Dalman all arriving. The successes of those moves made it easier to overlook how poorly the team’s investments on the defensive line went. While Grady Jarrett was at least serviceable at defensive tackle, the biggest flop of the offseason by a wide margin was defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo.

It was well known that the Bears needed another pass rusher opposite Montez Sweat. Odeyingbo had solid success with the Colts in Indianapolis. However, many had misgivings about the move. They felt a guy who lacked explosiveness and had benefited from playing next to DeForest Buckner was not worth the $16 million per year Chicago ultimately gave him. This was proven correct when he managed just one sack in eight games before tearing his Achilles in the win over Cincinnati.

Now the team is right back where they started, looking for solutions up front. With the Bears likely to at least dabble in free agency this year, here are some available names who give off Odeyingbo vibes.

These free agents feel like Dayo Odeyingbo risk levels.

LT Cam Robinson

Projected contract: $13 million per year

It isn’t a secret that the Bears need left tackle help. Ozzy Trapilo won’t be ready for the start of the regular season. Braxton Jones is a free agent. They need to find somebody who can either be a full-time replacement or at least a temporary bridge. The popular name coming up is Robinson. It makes sense. He’s started 114 games in his career and is still 31 years old, so he’s not completely over the hill. The problem is that experience doesn’t always equal reliability. Jordan started most of last season for the Cleveland Browns. He allowed 39 pressures and eight sacks in just 12 games. His run-blocking wasn’t any better. This is not somebody you should be paying even half of what he’ll require.

EDGE Joey Bosa

Projected contract: $13.7 million

If there is one thing the NFL teaches, it’s that it pays to be a big name. Even when you’re clearly past your prime, teams will still pay you significant money in the hopes they can squeeze one last great season out of you. That is where Bosa is at. There is no doubt he was a star for the Chargers in his first several seasons, but that isn’t the player he’s been for a long time. Bosa’s reputation has gone from top-tier pass rusher to injury-prone. He has not played a full season since 2021. That was the last time he had double-digit sacks as well. Yes, the Bears need pass rush help, but they can’t be throwing money at somebody clearly on the downside of his career.

DT John Franklin-Myers

Projected contract: $7.87 million per year

This is a case of the numbers being wrong. Franklin-Myers has established himself as a really good interior pass rusher with 14 sacks over the past two seasons in Denver. There is nothing teams value more these days than somebody who can create pressure up the middle. Rest assured, the listed contract number is wrong. Franklin-Myer will command significantly more. First, it’s because the rest of the 2026 free agent class is weak. Second? So is the incoming draft class. There is an overall dearth of interior pass rushers this year. That will make the market to acquire Franklin-Myers white hot. There is no way the Bears are in any position to outbid anybody, once again reiterating how difficult that Dayo Odeyingbo contract makes things.

LB Demario Davis

Projected contract: $9.47 million per year

Dennis Allen has a long-standing relationship with the former Pro Bowl linebacker. They did great work together in New Orleans. It’s common knowledge that Chicago will likely cut Tremaine Edmunds in the next few weeks to free up cap space. However, that will leave a considerable void at the position. Absent of clear options, it would make sense for Allen to seek a familiar face to help shore things up. The problem is that Davis is 37 years old. Paying a player that age over $9 million is never a wise decision, especially when they play a non-premium position. Davis is still a productive player. There is no question of that. It’s just that there is no telling how much longer he has, and the Bears have to think about getting younger at that position.