The following is an excerpt from Warren Sharp's 2026 Football Preview. In addition to Warren's deep, detailed write-up on all 32 NFL teams, each chapter features page after page of full-color charts, stats, and heatmaps, as well as defensive analysis from Raymond Summerlin. Click here for a full FREE chapter from the 2026 Football Preview.
With the 2026 NFL season fast approaching, let's look at the defense of the Chicago Bears and preview how it might perform this season.
Chicago Bears 2026 Defense Preview: A Unit-by-Unit Breakdown
The Bears struggled to slow down running backs in 2025, giving up 4.8 yards per carry to the position and ranking 30th in yards before contact allowed per carry. Signed last offseason, Grady Jarrett continued his career decline that began in Atlanta, getting pressure on just 5.6% of his pass rush snaps. Gervon Dexter was better as a pass rusher, recording 6 sacks with a 10.3% pressure rate, but he did not make many plays in the running game. 2025 second-round pick Shemar Turner did not do much before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in October, and the Bears might also view him more as an edge defender when looking at his limited usage as a rookie.
Chicago ranked 29th in pressure rate (31.5%) last season, finishing 22nd with 35 sacks. Montez Sweat is coming off a good season, recording 10 sacks with a 12.5% pressure rate, but the rest of the group added next to nothing. Dayo Odeyingbo only played eight games in his first season with the team, recording 1 sack with a dreadful 5.3% pressure rate before suffering a torn Achilles in November. Austin Booker was third on the team with 4.5 sacks, but his 9.4% pressure rate was less than ideal. The pass rush once again looks like a concern.
The Bears made a splash in free agency at linebacker, signing Devin Bush to a three-year, $30 million contract. He will replace Tremaine Edmunds, who the team released ahead of free agency. Bush was outstanding last season, putting up good stats against the run while allowing just 5.4 yards per target and a 64.2 quarterback rating in coverage. The rest of the linebacker group is in flux.
Not helped by a non-existent pass rush, Chicago’s secondary allowed 7.6 yards per pass attempt (28th) last season and finished 19th in EPA allowed per pass attempt. The Bears also did not field the corner group they expected for most of last season, with Jaylon Johnson playing just seven games, Tyrique Stevenson playing 13, and Kyler Gordon appearing in just three. Jaylon Jones was re-signed in free agency, but it was a small one-year deal.
The Bears lost a lot at safety in free agency, with Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Jonathan Owens all set to play for new teams in 2026. They also made a splash, signing Coby Bryant to a three-year, $40 million contract and drafting Dillon Thieneman in the first round. That should be the starting duo in 2026.
This analysis continues in the 2026 Football Preview
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Warren Sharp’s 600+ page full-color PDF, the 2026 Football Preview, is unlike anything you have read. Stunning visualizations, including new heat maps and stat pages, are built with the reader in mind. Innovative, next-level thought processes abound in every team chapter and article.
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Warren Sharp's book shares insights into the players, coaches, teams, and philosophies with one goal: to prepare you for the 2026 NFL season with the smartest information delivered in the fastest, most direct way possible for optimal reviewing and retention.
- Team Chapters previews are in-depth, data-driven & full of actionable info
- Fantasy Football player profiles, predictions, and ranks
- Vegas Odds forecast team wins, division rankings, lines for all 2026 games
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- Front Office Analysis positional spending, roster construction & cap analysis
- Reasons to bet over/under win totals & analysis of futures betting market
- Rookie draft class deep dive into impact for every team
- Rankings for every positional unit on every team with analysis
- Penalty analysis for all 32 NFL teams
