Dennis Allen has endured a rough season with the Chicago Bears‘ defense. Not only has his unit been ravaged by injuries, but most of the significant moves meant to improve it have flopped. Dayo Odeyingbo tore his Achilles, and wasn’t overly effective before that. Grady Jarrett hasn’t had much of an impact as well. Second round pick Shemar Turner tore his ACL. Only Nahshon Wright provided a big impact, and even he has drawbacks. It is beyond obvious that the unit needs a serious infusion of difference-makers.

With the Bears’ offense looking good moving forward, most agree that the entire focus of the 2026 draft will be improving the defense. If you ask experts and fans alike, most will tell you that defensive end has to be the priority. Outside of Montez Sweat, none of their edge rushers have made an impact. However, some think the actual focus for Allen will be elsewhere.

Chicago has searched for a disruptive defensive tackle for years. Gervon Dexter has tried to fill that role, but doesn’t have the explosiveness. Jarrett is too old. Without such a presence, the Bears can’t get any consistent pressure on quarterbacks.

History says Dennis Allen will prioritize this.

He took over the New Orleans Saints defense in 2015. They wouldn’t spend a 1st round pick on his unit until the next year. Their choice? Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. It was felt that they needed somebody who could complement Cameron Jordan on the outside. It worked out well. New Orleans jumped to 10 in points allowed by Rankins’ second season, while they racked up 42 sacks. Dennis Allen repeated this strategy a few years later when the Saints selected Bryan Bresee from Clemson in 2023.

Edge rusher will be a possibility in the 1st round next April for the Bears. There is no telling how the board will fall. Sometimes a run happens that forces you to pivot elsewhere. That said, if the choice is between an interior rusher or an end and their projected value is the same, Allen will push for the defensive tackle. Odds will still be favorable they can find edge help in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. It should make for a fascinating spring that could determine Chicago’s playoff future.

Ryan Poles has maintained a firm direction as GM of the Chicago Bears. He wasn’t going to be deterred from trying to build his roster the right way. That meant careful moves on the veteran market, coupled with consistent drafting. At last, it feels like things have gone in the right direction after a much-needed coaching change. The Bears are 9-4, clinching their first winning season in seven years, and have a chance to make the playoffs. However, talks of a Super Bowl haven’t really materialized.

That is because nobody believes this team is in any way ready for such a possibility. They’ve made strides, but there are glaring weaknesses on the roster that must be addressed. Nearly all of them reside on the defensive side of the ball. The harsh truth is this. Poles has done a poor job drafting defensive players since taking over. Of the 15 names he’s selected, none of them have certain futures in Chicago.

• Kyler Gordon – On IR twice this year
• Jaquan Brisker – Concussion issues
• Dominique Robinson – Backup
• Elijah Hicks – Backup
• Gervon Dexter – Solid starter
• Tyrique Stevenson – Solid starter but consistency issues
• Zacch Pickens – Gone
• Noah Sewell – Passable starter
• Terell Smith – On IR with torn ACL
• Travis Bell – Gone
• Kendall Williamson – Gone
• Austin Booker – Passable starter
• Shemar Turner – On IR with torn ACL
• Ruben Hyppolite – Backup
• Zah Frazier – Missed season for personal reasons

Ryan Poles has a poor reputation for evaluating defensive talent.

Nearly all of his additions fall into one of two categories. Either they are backups who serve as special teams contributors, or they’re good players who can’t stay healthy. Only Dexter has managed to evade those two buckets. There is no denying that the best players on that side of the ball were already on the roster (Jaylon Johnson), arrived via free agency (Kevin Byard/Tremaine Edmunds/T.J. Edwards), or were trade acquisitions (Montez Sweat). That isn’t a good way to build a sustainable unit.

This is why the 2026 draft might be the most significant of Ryan Poles’ tenure. Everybody knows the primary focus will be on the defense. Chicago has secured most of their offensive needs this past year. Next spring will be all about finding difference-makers at all three levels. Given his current reputation, it’s hard not to feel nervous. Nothing indicates Poles is capable of meeting that challenge. Then again, it’s not like there is a choice. Hopefully, head coach Ben Johnson’s supposed personnel control might change their fortunes.

Kyler Gordon has always had health concerns surrounding him. He had never played a full season for the Chicago Bears through his first three years in the league. Sadly, things took a nosedive in 2025 as a series of soft tissue problems landed him on Injured Reserve not once but twice. The Bears placed him there again, ending his regular season with just three appearances. He may return for the playoffs if Chicago gets that far. Outside of that, his year is over. Not only is it frustrating for him, but it leaves the organization in a tricky spot.

Everybody knows the saying by now. The best ability is availability. Gordon has not been that. As good of a player as he is, it’s getting to the point where the Bears can’t trust him anymore. GM Ryan Poles must consider his options carefully going into 2025. Here are the three most plausible outcomes.

1. Keep him as the starter next season in hopes this year was bad luck.

This is the easiest path to take. Chicago paid Gordon a substantial amount of money in his new contract extension to be the focal point of their defense. He’s still young. Perhaps a new training staff and better conditioning program may better protect him against these issues in the future.

2. Keep him, but draft direct competition.

If we’re talking the most sensible path for the Bears, it’s this one. They allow Gordon to stay while they look to the draft to bring in some depth at potential competition. This way, the corner still has a chance to prove he is a long-term solution while the Bears get themselves some insurance.

3. Trade him

This depends on how much the Bears believe he can be salvaged. If they aren’t convinced his body can hold up, a trade is their only option to get that contract off the books. Such a move would come with a $7.5 million dead cap hit, but it would at least give them some future breathing space as they hunt for a replacement.

Kyler Gordon controls his own fate.

It would be one thing if these were ligament or bone injuries. You can’t really control that. Soft tissue problems speak to a poor conditioning regimen. Not all of that is on Kyler Gordon. The Bears’ training staff deserves some blame as well. Ben Johnson may have to think about overhauling that group next offseason. Either way, Gordon must take control of his fate. His credibility inside Halas Hall is fading. As good as he is on the field, he’s not there enough to justify the money this team is paying him. Gordon must find a way to keep himself healthy. Otherwise, he’ll endure the same fate as many great athletes who watched their careers fizzle out because of constant injuries.

The Chicago Bears haven’t made a true blockbuster trade under GM Ryan Poles aside from dealing the #1 overall pick in 2023 for a long list of assets. They haven’t made an all-in move for a specific player like the Green Bay Packers did recently with Micah Parsons. Poles has made it clear he won’t do something like that unless it gives his team an unquestionable chance to win the Super Bowl. That is why the Bears were quiet at the trade deadline and are expected to remain so until the draft next spring.

However, a buzz is percolating around the league. Some wonder if one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks might soon be up for grabs. That is Joe Burrow. Recent comments from the former All-Pro have led to speculation that he might be looking for a way out of Cincinnati after two frustrating seasons without the playoffs.

This wouldn’t be the first time such a thing has happened. The Bengals also ran Carson Palmer out of town over a decade ago, largely due to their outdated operations and frugal approach. Jason McIntyre of The Herd wonders if the Bears might consider a calculated gamble to land Burrows.

The Chicago Bears have seen this template work before.

Their division rival Detroit Lions did it in 2021. Star quarterback Matthew Stafford didn’t want to endure another rebuild and asked for a trade. The franchise worked out a deal with the Los Angeles Rams. In exchange for Stafford, they would receive Jared Goff, two 1st round picks, and a 3rd round pick. The idea was that L.A. would acquire its upgrade at quarterback, while Detroit received a quality starter who still had some upside and the necessary picks to retool its roster. It ultimately worked out for both.

The Rams won the Super Bowl that year, and the Lions built themselves into division champions.

Would the Chicago Bears do this? The allure is obvious. Burrow is a top five quarterback in the sport. His style of play, which is primarily pocket-oriented, would be a perfect fit for Ben Johnson’s offense. If Goff was an MVP candidate in that system, imagine what Burrow could be. The Bears would have the best QB in the conference, let alone the division. They could then focus their remaining resources on helping the defense.

It isn’t a totally insane idea. That said, the odds of it happening are astronomically low. Cincinnati has zero reasons to trade Burrow, and insiders haven’t received any credible evidence that the quarterback wants out. Maybe that will change sooner rather than later.

The Chicago Bears had to make do without Rome Odunze last Sunday in Green Bay. In truth, they haven’t had the best version of their former 1st round pick for weeks. It was revealed he’d suffered a foot injury sometime around the Cincinnati Bengals game and has been playing through it. The pain became too much last week, and the Bears chose to sit him. Some wondered if they would play it safe and keep him out for a few weeks in hopes the injury might settle down. Apparently, that wasn’t necessary.

Odunze practiced in a limited fashion all week, leaving him questionable for Sunday’s game at Soldier Field against the Cleveland Browns. Expectations weren’t high. That changed when Jeremy Fowler of ESPN provided an update.

It can’t be understated how big this is. Cleveland has one of the best pass defenses in the NFL. Yet with star cornerback Denzel Ward out, it presents an opportunity for the Bears to take advantage. Having Odunze in the lineup for Caleb Williams to lean on gives the offense options they didn’t have last week. Everything depends on where the pain threshold is for the wide receiver.

Rome Odunze gives the Bears immense situational value.

You often find that the most important wide receivers are the ones who can deliver on 3rd down and in the red zone. There is no question that Rome Odunze has become that guy for the Bears. Of his 54 catches this season, 14 were 3rd down conversions. Six of his nine career touchdowns have also come in the red zone. Caleb Williams clearly trusts him when the chips are down to make a play. Having him back for this game is such a boost, even if he might not be at 100%.

The question will be how reliable his hands are. Odunze has six drops this season. It is expected to be extremely cold on Sunday, with wind chills at -10 degrees. Hanging onto passes is hard enough in normal conditions for him. He’ll need extra concentration in that freezer. Still, if they get a good version of Odunze, they have a chance to take care of business and get their 10th win. Either way, the receiver deserves kudos for returning so quickly despite the injury likely not being healed.

This one has the feel of a statement game for the Chicago Bears, and it starts with their quarterback. Caleb Williams puts together his most complete performance yet, playing sharp football across all four quarters. Against a Browns defense that thrives on pressure, Williams stays poised, avoids the big mistake, and delivers when it matters most late.

The Bears ground game once again becomes the engine of the offense. Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift combine for over 200 total rushing yards, bullying a Cleveland front that won’t enjoy tackling in freezing conditions. Expect Ben Johnson to lean into the run early and often, forcing the Browns to respect play-action and opening up clean throwing windows for Williams.

Defensively, the Bears make their presence felt in the turnover battle. Nahshon Wright comes away with two takeaways, capitalizing on errant throws and creating short fields for the offense. Up front, Jaylon Johnson adds a sack, proving once again that he’s more than just a cover corner.

One notable absence: Rome Odunze does not play. The Bears take the cautious route, holding him out until Green Bay. Chicago can win this game without him, and another week of rest could be exactly what his foot needs for the stretch run.

In a back-and-forth game, the Bears finish stronger.

Final score: Bears 34, Browns 28.

The Chicago Bears have four games left. Three of them are against teams pushing for playoff spots. Their last one against an opponent who is already out takes place Sunday. The Cleveland Browns are 3-10 and horrendously banged up. This is a game the Bears can and should win comfortably. Of course, that could prove difficult since the forecast calls for conditions rarely seen this time of year. Weather experts predict a high of 11 degrees, with a wind chill as low as -10. It could become one of the coldest games in Soldier Field history. Ben Johnson understands the challenge.

Executing football at a high level in those temperatures is not easy. Keep in mind that he has spent his entire NFL coaching career in warm locations. It started with sun-soaked Miami and moved to the indoor confines of Detroit. This next stretch of games will mark his first real test of dealing with true winter weather. To that end, Johnson is using a philosophy that far too many coaches failed to recognize. If you’re going to play in a certain weather, you need to practice in it. That is what the Bears have been doing all week.

“Been outside. Love it. It’s Bear Weather. It’s coming down. I know our guys are excited about it. We can’t wait to get out there and be back home.”

Ben Johnson is the first coach in a long time to adopt this approach.

Ever since the arrival of Marc Trestman, it felt like the Bears were more focused on executing things well in practice. You can’t do that in the elements. So they would shift things inside the Walter Payton Center where players wouldn’t have to worry about the cold, rain, or snow. Matt Nagy did the same thing. One would think Ben Johnson would be a stickler for such things as an offensive-minded guy. That is definitely not the case. The head coach again demonstrates a clear wealth of common sense, knowing practices indoors won’t help prepare players.

The Bears want to start faster in games and want to play tough, smashmouth football. Doing that requires a specific mindset. Once the players get used to the cold, they stop thinking about it and stay focused on their jobs. It is why the New England Patriots were so good in cold conditions during their long dynasty years. Bill Belichick didn’t care about the weather. The team always practiced outside. Ben Johnson seems wired the same way.