Drake Maye is going to the Super Bowl. This, along with a long stretch of the season where he was in MVP conversations, has many feeling he’s the new face of the league. Yet if you look deeper into the numbers, you could argue Caleb Williams outplayed him. To explain this, you must look at the expected completion percentage (xCOMP%) from Next Gen Stats. This stat details what a quarterback’s completion percentage should’ve been based on air distance traveled, receiver separation, and the pressure they were under.

Maye finished the season with 72% of his passes completed, but his expected completion percentage was 62.8%. Conversely, Williams finished with 58.1% but had an xCOMP% of 65%. In other words, Maye benefited from a lot of good fortune this year. His receivers rarely dropped passes, and he had a remarkable run of success throwing deep. However, you started seeing reality set in during the playoffs. In three games, Maye completed just 55.8% of his passes with two interceptions and six fumbles.

Chicago ranked fifth in wide receiver drops this year and Williams often chose to throw the ball away on several plays.

The separation between Caleb Williams and Drake Maye is minimal.

Maye finished with 4300 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Williams had 3900 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. If the Bears wide receivers had been better about catching the football, there is a strong chance Williams would’ve outproduced the Patriots’ golden boy. Let’s also not forget the astounding run of good luck Maye enjoyed schedule-wise. Across 17 games, he did not play a single top 10 defense. In fact, 11 of those opponents finished in the bottom half of the league.

By contrast, Caleb Williams played two top 10 opponents and five in the top 14. He faces a considerably tougher schedule and went 4-3 with all three losses by a touchdown or less. Unlike Maye, he didn’t benefit from playing across from a top 10 defense. You can’t say the Patriots’ strong unit didn’t make life easier for him. There is no question Maye should be a star for a long time, but Williams isn’t getting enough credit for what he accomplished this season and likely will moving forward.

The Chicago Bears wouldn’t be where they are right now without Ian Cunningham. His presence as assistant general manager has played a pivotal role in assembling a roster that just won the NFC North and its first playoff game in 15 years. Cunningham’s name has long been highly respected in NFL circles, meaning it was only a matter of time before he got his own GM job. However, the Bears have been fortunate up to this point that he has stayed put despite some near misses.

It appears that the streak of good fortune might finally be coming to an end. Reports surfaced on Tuesday that Cunningham is having a second interview with the Atlanta Falcons for their GM position. He will join Houston Texans assistant GM James Liipfert, making them the only two men known to have received second meetings. That means Cunningham is a favorite to get the job. Unfortunately, if he gets it, not only do the Bears lose a key part of their front office, but they aren’t likely to receive two compensatory draft picks as a result.

Don’t expect the Bears to block this Ian Cunningham move.

A lot of people are calling for that since it’s now technically allowed because the NFL rule dictates it would be a later move. That is because Matt Ryan is considered Atlanta’s top football voice in the organization, even if he says he will have no say in personnel decisions. The Bears should block the move and wait for a team to hire Cunningham, who could provide them with those two picks. However, GM Ryan Poles has made it clear for years that he will not stand in the way of his guys receiving promotions.

It stinks for the Bears’ draft hopes, but it is the classy thing to do.

Presuming Ian Cunningham leaves, the succession plan seems pretty clear. Senior director of player personnel Jeff King is the heavy favorite to take over the assistant GM role. The question is whether the Bears decide to fill the front-office vacancy with someone from the outside. Perhaps head coach Ben Johnson would like to insert somebody he’s familiar with into the room. A couple of names to watch there could be former Dolphins GM Chris Grier, who is currently available, or Jimmy Raye III, a senior personnel advisor in Cleveland who worked with Johnson in Detroit. Something to keep in mind.

DJ Moore has been radio silent since the end of the Chicago Bears’ playoff run at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. The last image fans have of him is of him sluggishly running a route over the middle, which contributed to another interception by Caleb Williams, allowing L.A. to drive for the winning field goal. In the minds of fans and media, Moore either half-assed the route or ran the wrong one. Either way, it was a bad look, leading some to wonder if the Bears might decide it’s time to move on. Antwaan Randle El was asked about Moore in an interview with Jarrett Payton.

The Bears’ wide receivers coach first made it clear that Moore has been an outstanding person in the locker room and has really matured. Randle El acknowledged he suffered some inconsistency issues last year, feeling he wasn’t always going full speed. That changed this year. Not only was Moore running his routes with more purpose, but he was also blocking with serious vigor.

If that weren’t enough of a sign that the team hasn’t soured on him, Moore finally made his first public appearance in over a week, responding to the interview on Twitter (X).

Antwaan Randle El makes it sound like Moore isn’t going anywhere.

Looking at the situation objectively, it isn’t difficult to see why the Bears would keep him. He made some outstanding plays for them down the stretch this season, including both game-winners against Green Bay. He’s still only 28 years old. His connection with Williams appeared to blossom. More than anything, the Bears don’t really have any reason to weaken the wide receiver room. Yes, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden look like emerging weapons. However, both have question marks. Odunze wasn’t healthy for more than half of the season. Burden is still raw.

The common lesson in the NFL is don’t weaken your team for no reason. Moore is a good player. He helps the Bears win football games. Antwaan Randle El made it clear how much he means to the team. They have other ways to create necessary cap space. Unless there really are undisclosed concerns about his long-term health, it feels like Moore will remain with the team at least for one more year. It certainly looks like he wants to stay. Best not to let one play ruin a good thing.

The Chicago Bears won’t be the belle of the ball this year in the upcoming NFL draft. They now sit in the boring territory of other playoff teams, picking the mid-20s. While that is good news for their present, it makes improving their future more difficult. Teams that aren’t able to find good players in this area of the 1st round don’t usually stay in the win column for very long. That is why GM Ryan Poles can’t afford to get this upcoming 25th overall pick wrong. So how might he go about it? Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network revealed what he thinks will happen.

The draft insider unveiled his first mock draft of the offseason. It unfolds as they usually do. There is an early run on offensive tackles, cornerbacks, and pass rushers. However, when the time came for the Bears to pick, Jeremiah produced a shocker.

Pick 25 – Chicago Bears – Dillon Thieneman, Oregon · S · Junior

The Bears figure to be in the safety market with the contracts expiring for Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Thieneman can play both safety spots and could cover in the slot if needed.

Now, picking a safety by itself would be a surprise. The Bears haven’t selected one in the 1st round since Mark Carrier way back in 1990. Yet there is another layer to this. Jeremiah has them passing on Peter Woods, who many believe is the best defensive tackle in this draft. His reasoning?

Folks around the league are split on Woods’ evaluation. Some don’t view him as a first-round pick, but he has the quickness to add to the league’s best pass-rush group as an inside rusher.

It’s hard to imagine the Chicago Bears not taking the chance on Woods.

When a guy is compared to Jeffery Simmons as a talent, you almost have to take the gamble. Woods never had what you would call a breakout season at Clemson. His production was steady, but many feel he is still unpolished and needs to shed some weight. Yet the flashes he has are dominant. He has the quickness and burst to blow into the backfield at will while also having the power to hold his ground against the run. Given how underwhelming the Bears are in the middle, this feels like a worthwhile gamble.

That said, if Thieneman is the pick, the Chicago Bears would still be in a good spot. He is a versatile, rangy safety who gets his hands on the ball a lot and isn’t afraid to stick his nose into the scrum to make tackles. He’s earned comparisons to Jevon Holland. There is no question Dennis Allen would make great use of him. Still, taking a safety that early feels unnecessary since Poles has already demonstrated he can find good ones outside the 1st round.

Ben Johnson understood what he was signing up for when he hired Eric Bieniemy as the new running backs coach of the Chicago Bears. The man was overqualified for the position. It wouldn’t be long before he was lured elsewhere by opportunities for higher positions. Sure enough, after getting terrific seasons from D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai in 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs came calling to bring him back as their offensive coordinator. While not a surprise, it does leave the Bears with big shoes to fill.

Thankfully, it appears Johnson has an alternative in mind. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported that a strong candidate for the job is Eric Studesville, a longtime NFL assistant who’s made his name coaching running backs for almost 30 years.

Studesville got his break in the league with Chicago in 1997. He became their wide receivers coach in 1999, getting 1400 yards from Marcus Robinson and developing Marty Booker through his first two years. In the years that followed, he built his reputation by developing future stars like Tiki Barber in New York, Willis McGahee and Marshawn Lynch in Buffalo, Knowshon Moreno in Denver, and De’Von Achane in Miami.

The Bears could do way worse replacing Eric Bieniemy.

One could argue that Studesville’s credibility is every bit as strong as the departed Bears assistant. Not only that, but he has ties to the organization from his youth and has worked with Coach Johnson already in Miami. Unlike Eric Bieniemy, there is little chance of him getting plucked elsewhere. Studesville spent several years with the Dolphins despite three coaching changes. At 58 years old, it is unlikely he will get looks for offensive coordinator or head coaching positions at this stage.

Nothing is settled yet. There is a strong possibility that other teams will be interested in Studesville. Mike McDaniel took over as offensive coordinator in Los Angeles. He may angle to bring the coach out west to continue working together. However, keep in mind Studesville is from Madison, Wisconsin. He may wish to work closer to home as he advances in age. Chicago presents the perfect opportunity. While the Bears will miss Eric Bieniemy, they could do far worse with replacements.

The Chicago Bears are about to embark on a challenging new frontier. That is finding a way to stay competitive beyond just one season. To do that, they must continue to draft and develop their players well. They likely won’t have much salary cap to throw around with several young players like Darnell Wright and Caleb Williams almost certain to command massive contract extensions. The only viable way around this is through the draft. One way to game the system is through compensatory draft picks. Unfortunately, the Bears haven’t been able to secure many of them in recent years. That could be about to change thanks to their outgoing free agent class, especially Nahshon Wright.

The cornerback signed with the Bears for $1.1 million this past offseason, was pushed into the starting lineup by injuries, and proceeded to force eight turnovers, including five interceptions. It was one of the best stories of the season, and proved enough to get Wright to his first Pro Bowl. Make no mistake. That distinction, however controversial, will play a huge part in any negotiations his agent has with teams in free agency this March. If guys like Tyson Campbell, Paulson Adebo, and L’Jarius Sneed can land $19 million a year, it isn’t crazy to think Wright can too.

In such a case, the Bears are likely looking at a compensatory pick in 2027.

Nahshon Wright is a perfect example of why you give guys opportunities.

Just because they may not have worked out with previous teams doesn’t mean they lack talent. Sometimes it is all about where they land and who is coaching them. Getting Wright under the guidance of Al Harris and Dennis Allen proved crucial to finally unlocking the ability he always had. Now he should get a lucrative payday from teams in serious need of cornerback help. Most likely, the Bears could be looking at a 4th or 5th round pick. From there, all they need is some of their other departing names to command some nice deals.

The ones to probably watch will be Jaquan Brisker, Braxton Jones, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Brisker and Gardner-Johnson both played well in the second half of the season. Teams love having reliable safeties. Jones has loads of experience at left tackle, which should help his case in a thin market. Along with Nahshon Wright, this gives the Bears a real chance at multiple compensatory picks next year. Much will depend on how much money they decide to spend in free agency, if any.