Green Bay Packers fans have been working overtime to pump up the reputation of quarterback Jordan Love going into 2026. They believe he is one of the best in the NFL today and isn’t getting the respect he deserves. This ongoing debate about who’s better, him or Caleb Williams, is frankly insulting. It isn’t even close. Some in the national media have tried to help, insisting Love belongs in that Favre/Rodgers conversation. He has the look and the status—the only thing missing in the ring.

Apparently, even other NFL teams aren’t buying into that narrative. The Chicago Bears have always seized opportunities to celebrate at Love’s expense. That is to be expected in a rivalry. However, now others are getting in on the action. The Arizona Cardinals held a joint practice with the Packers this week. It did not go well for Green Bay. Not only did the Cardinals’ offense have alarming success, but their defense seemed to enjoy making Love’s life miserable in drills.

Arizona’s Twitter account offered proof.

Jordan Love is under an immense amount of pressure.

Despite fervent fan backing, he hasn’t achieved nearly as much as his predecessors. Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers were both Super Bowl champions by age 27. Love turns 28 this year and hasn’t even reached an NFC Championship. He has one playoff victory to his name, and that was his first. He’s 0-3 since. The last defeat came at the hands of the Bears, marking the first time Green Bay has lost a playoff game to Chicago since World War II. That mythic aura of invincibility the Packers once held is long gone. Teams aren’t afraid of them anymore.

One cannot overstate the pressure on Love. He’s had numerous opportunities to elevate his game to a top-tier level. While he has put up good numbers since becoming a starter, there have always been signs that he’s missing some critical ingredients of a truly elite quarterback. A big one is how he plays under pressure. Jordan Love had 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions last season when opponents got heat on him. The year before, it was 7 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. By contrast, Williams has 15 touchdowns and 8 interceptions over that same span, and he was in the middle of changing offenses.

It feels like the window won’t be open forever.

Green Bay doesn’t have the same grip on the NFC North it enjoyed during most of the Rodgers and Favre runs. The entire division is significantly better than it was in those days. Detroit is among the most talented teams in football. Chicago just won the division last year, beating Green Bay twice. Minnesota remains a dangerous team thanks to its quality coaching staff. Love has managed to keep his team in the playoff mix for three years, but never beyond the 7th seed in the playoffs. Another finish like last year’s, especially with Micah Parsons due back at some point, could put many people in the organization at risk. Particularly head coach Matt LaFleur, who’s had a vital hand in Love’s success.

Love is not a bad quarterback. He never was. In the overall NFL picture, he is in the top half of the league. The problem is that it’s not how he’s being judged. He’s been ranked against two of the greatest pillars in the history of the quarterback position. In that context, Love comes up painfully short. He is Jeff Garcia, measured against Joe Montana and Steve Young. Good, but not good enough. This hasn’t sunk in yet for Packer fans, but it feels like only a matter of time.

One thing you can always trust about the NFL is that it will change something. Among the major sports leagues in the United States, none has been more proactive in trying new things, whether technological or, especially, in rule changes. This year, the big shakeup actually comes to the way they distribute honors. Since the 1950s, the league’s best players have been honored with Pro Bowl selections and celebrated by playing an All-Star game of sorts. However, over the past several years, that game became a running joke because of how unseriously the players took it. They didn’t play hard because, in their minds, there was no incentive to do so. Now the entire award structure is being torn down, and younger Chicago Bears players should take notice.

One thing that made the Pro Bowl so difficult to follow was the alternates. Guys who were selected to attend would often choose not to, either due to health issues or because they were still playing the postseason. This led many players to go in their place, becoming “Pro Bowlers” themselves. That is something fans have hated for years, and now the NFL is cracking down on it. According to Jonathan Jones of The Athletic, there will be no competition of any kind. Pro Bowlers will be selected, and that’s it—no more alternates.

Now, The Athletic has learned, the Pro Bowl is being eliminated.

On Wednesday, league executives presented to team owners the future of the Pro Bowl, which will no longer have a standalone game — be it tackle or flag football — or games. After surveying players over the years, the NFL will now make the Pro Bowl effectively an individual performance award. Eighty-eight players will receive the Pro Bowl honor with no alternates, corralling a key aspect of the all-star event that had gotten out of whack in recent years.

This is a big deal for future Chicago Bears.

One thing that is always a focus of NFL players is bargaining leverage. How many ways can they find to gain an edge in negotiating with teams on new contracts? Stats are obviously the big one. Another that agents always use to maximum effect is the Pro Bowl. If their player made the Pro Bowl, they should be compensated as such. People may roll their eyes and say this doesn’t happen. It absolutely does. Just look at two of the most recent examples.

Running back Breece Hall made the Pro Bowl as an alternate with the New York Jets, paying him $14.5 million per year. He rushed for 1,065 yards and 4 touchdowns. Yet he’s being paid more than Josh Jacobs and James Cook. Then you have Jake Ferguson. He finished with 600 yards and 8 touchdowns with the Dallas Cowboys last season. Subsequently, he was paid $12.5 million per year, the 7th-most in the NFL.

Meanwhile, Hunter Henry had 768 yards and 7 touchdowns and got an extension for $8 million per year. He did not make the Pro Bowl. Having that little star next to your name matters. Well, it’ll matter even more now.

Agents and players have lost a lot of leverage.

Every year, there will be 88 Pro Bowlers. There were 103, including alternates, this past season. That should give you an idea of how much the NFL is shaving things down. Guys like Mitch Trubisky, Charles Leno, Cody Whitehair, and Nahshon Wright won’t get that added bump anymore. That will make negotiations more difficult and could lead to contract standoffs that become more testy than usual. Teams won’t be inclined to give up as much money, since they can argue that this guy or that guy didn’t make the Pro Bowl. Why should they pay him like one?

It may seem superficial, but that stuff matters. Darnell Wright should count himself fortunate. He received second-team All-Pro honors last season. That confirmed without question that he is one of the best right tackles in football. Now, other young Chicago Bears like Rome Odunze, Caleb Williams, and Colston Loveland better take note. If they want the maximum payday in the next year or two, they must play well enough to actually make the Pro Bowl, not slide in with a participation trophy.

The Chicago Bears didn’t make any significant moves along the defensive line for months. Their only notable additions came from mid- and lower-tier free agents (Neville Gallimore and James Lynch), followed by a 6th-round pick (Jordan Van Den Berg). No edge rushers to be seen. This is despite Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner both recovering from serious injuries. It was beyond puzzling. Finally, the Bears seemed to acquiesce somewhat when they added 29-year-old Marcus Davenport, a former 1st round pick.

It at least made sense. Davenport spent years in New Orleans under Dennis Allen, the Bears’ defensive coordinator. That connection made it possible for the team to know how to get something from the pass rusher. Something that hasn’t been the case in the past four years. After a down year to end his Saints tenure, Davenport was slammed by injury problems in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Even if he’s somehow overcome that health crisis, scouts aren’t convinced he’ll be much help. One explained why to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

“The problem with him is he can’t bend very well and he’s very straight-line,” a pro scout for another team said. “Straight-line power guy, and it hasn’t translated to production for a long time. Plus he’s had a lot of injuries. He’s a rotational defensive end who cannot be counted on.”

Marcus Davenport feels like a temporary bandage at best.

This is not somebody who will start for the Bears this season. His body isn’t in that kind of state anymore. What the Bears need is a rotational edge defender who can give them two or three pressures on the quarterback each week. If Davenport can somehow produce 5 or 6 sacks this season, that would be a big win for this team. Montez Sweat and Austin Booker are the primary combo. They were highly effective together down the stretch of last season. Dayo Odeyingbo will likely slot into a run-stopping role before moving inside on passing downs.

That foursome should be able to produce at a decent level if everybody is healthy. Unfortunately, that is a lot to ask for. Marcus Davenport hasn’t played more than eight games in a season since 2022. Expecting that to somehow change as his body gets older is unrealistic. The hope for the Bears is that a reduced role might prevent added wear and tear. Booker and Odeyingbo have health concerns of their own, as well. The Bears have done some really good things building this roster over the past couple of years.

Their construction of the defensive line has not been one of them.

The Bears can’t keep dodging the issue forever.

This organization has not drafted an edge rusher in the 1st round since Leonard Floyd in 2016. That 10-year gap is the longest in franchise history. They haven’t taken a true defensive lineman since Tommie Harris in 2004. For too long, this team has relied way too heavily on older free agents (Julius Peppers and Akiem Hicks) and expensive trade acquisitions (Adewale Ogunleye and Khalil Mack) to solve their pass rush issues. General manager Ryan Poles should not escape criticism for how he’s handled this entire situation.

His biggest additions, like Odeyingbo, Grady Jarrett, and Justin Jones, have disappointed. Sweat is by far his best acquisition, but that came via trade. None of Poles’ draft picks have ascended to true star status. Gervon Dexter has been solid. Yet he’s now apparently on the trade block. How much longer will the Bears go before getting serious about this issue? Only they can answer that.

The Chicago Bears have gotten great looks at their 2026 draft class for the past month. Dillon Thieneman has rapidly matured at safety, becoming an athletic defender on the back end that they badly needed. Logan Jones had his best preseason performance to date in Cincinnati, settling into his role as backup and eventual successor to Garrett Bradbury. Tight end Sam Roush has lived up to his blocking reputation and even delivered some nice pass-catching moments. Wide receiver Zavion Thomas has popped a few times in practice, while 4th-round cornerback Malik Muhammad has put in tons of work at nickel.

By far the biggest story, though, is Jordan Van Den Berg. The 6th round defensive tackle has gone from minor fringe storyline to headline act in a matter of weeks. He has dominated drills in training camp and delivered two strong preseason performances. He’s already getting work with the starters. All in all, there is plenty to be excited about.

However, all of it comes with an asterisk. One of the Bears’ picks has been absent throughout it all. That is the 5th-round pick, Keyshaun Elliott. The linebacker suffered a back injury in the spring that landed him on the PUP list. He missed the past three weeks of camp. Nobody mentioned him. Thankfully, good news finally broke.

The Chicago Bears haven’t rolled out the welcome mat.

The Bears don’t have many linebacker spots to spare. They already have three locked up: D’Marco Jackson, Devin Bush, and T.J. Edwards, likely assuming the starting roles. That could leave only two remaining spots. Jack Sanborn is likely to take one of them given his experience and versatility, having played both outside and middle linebacker. This means Elliott is up against Ruben Hyppolite and special teams specialists Tony Fields and Jon Rhattigan for that final spot. That is a big problem.

After all, while Elliott has been out, those two have participated in most of training camp. Hyppolite had a really strong performance against Cleveland in the preseason. If not for his shoulder injury, he would be the favorite for that spot. Unless the Bears plan to carry six linebackers, these next few days are critical for Elliott. He must get up to speed in practice as quickly as possible. The joint practice against Tennessee this week and the preseason finale could be decisive in his fate.

Right now, only draft status may save him.

Cutting a draft pick mere months after selecting him is not something teams usually prefer doing, especially in the 5th round or higher. A player either has to be really bad in camp or, in Elliott’s case, unavailable while others get the time to make an impression. It is possible the Chicago Bears decide to keep him, hoping that their draft evaluations were correct and he’ll develop into a quality piece on defense and special teams. At the same time, this approach runs counter to their credo of letting players earn their spots. Draft status alone should not protect you.

It’s not uncommon for late-round picks to get cut the same year they’re drafted. Just look at 2024. Three different teams cut 5th rounders they’d just selected months ago. This roster is much more competitive than previous versions in Bears history. It doesn’t show much leniency for guys who aren’t available. If not for his contract, Kyler Gordon probably would’ve been cut already after last season. This is why Elliott needs to operate with urgency.

What’s the common saying? How can you not be romantic about sports? It’s true. There is just something about the pageantry and drama of sports that will never truly be matched by other forms of entertainment. That is because there is legitimate sacrifice involved. Men and women put their bodies and minds through ceaseless torture to become the best at what they do. Football is right at the top of that list. You wouldn’t think that a training camp practice could deliver that sense of intent, but the Chicago Bears found a way to pull it off.

Tuesday marked the final day of training camp for the Bears as preparations began for the preseason finale and then the regular season. Head coach Ben Johnson made sure his players earned it. Over two hours, he put the Bears through grueling drills, constantly pitting the offense against the defense in live periods. As practice approached its conclusion, the team was preparing for a long drive drill. This meant the starting units would go against each other in a full-game situation with no substitutions allowed.

The intent was obvious. Johnson needed to see what his players were made of in a do-or-die situation. It is late in the game. Everybody’s exhausted. Who, if anybody, will rise to the occasion?

The Chicago Bears got not one but two epic speech moments.

While Johnson may have crafted the setup, two of his players authored the exclamation point. Right before the final drills began, cornerback Jaylon Johnson brought the team together in a huddle. He made it clear to everybody that what they’d done up to that point was not good enough. If they want to be great, they have to dig deep for everything they have. Finish camp strong.

It was another reminder of how much Johnson has matured as a leader over the past two years. He may not be overly outspoken, but he knows when something must be said. He certainly got his point across. Players on both sides came with intensity in the final period. The fatigue certainly didn’t go down without a fight. Guys were gassed. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett didn’t want to hear it, though. He was heard screaming at teammates to get up after taking a knee in the middle of a drill.

Players finally understand the price they must pay.

That has been the problem for a long time. They’ve had lots of talent, but not always a true understanding of what it truly takes to be a winner. You’ll often find that champions aren’t necessarily the most gifted teams. It is the ones who worked the hardest. Coach Johnson has made it his mission, since taking over, to ensure the Bears will never be outworked by anyone. Winning has a price, and everybody must be willing to pay it. Jarrett being at the forefront of this isn’t a surprise.

After all, he understands the pain of coming up short better than anybody. He was on that ill-fated 2016 Atlanta Falcons team that coughed up a 28-3 lead to lose in the Super Bowl. In the end, they weren’t up to the task. Jarrett, who had 3 sacks in that game, has been chasing the ghost ever since. The Chicago Bears represent his last shot to slay those demons, and he has no intention of letting guys get away with not giving their best. The same goes for Jaylon.