The Chicago Bears underwent significant changes over the offseason, making their 2025 depth chart almost unrecognizable. Although Ben Johnson already has an initial outline mapped out, the Bears' official starting lineup is far from complete.
Entering Johnson's first year as head coach, Chicago returns 16 of their 22 offensive and defensive starters. However, not all of them will retain their jobs. The Bears sought wholesale changes after their disastrous 2024 campaign, allowing Johnson to wipe the slate clean as he prepares for the next step in his career.
The Bears were among the league's most active teams in the offseason from the jump. Chicago kickstarted the process by trading for star offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson in March to address the team's biggest roster need. They carried that momentum into the 2025 NFL Draft, where they added an intriguing eight-man class of incoming prospects.
Led by tight end Colston Loveland, several members of the Bears' rookie class were immediately expected to push veterans for starting roles. Loveland, in particular, became an immediate threat to four-year starter Cole Kmet, whom the team recently extended in 2023.
In addition to Loveland, the Bears also want Luther Burden III, Ozzy Trapilo, Shemar Turner and Ruben Hyppolite II to be immediate contributors. Not all of their rookies will be impact players right away, but Johnson expects to have a role in 2025. The team is particularly interested in Trapilo, who has already begun pushing incumbent starter Braxton Jones for the starting left tackle job.
Chicago is already expecting to replace the bulk of its starters, but could be in for more turnover by the start of the regular season. With all four preseason games still on deck, the Bears' 2025 depth chart could still look dramatically different by Week 1.
LT Braxton Jones
The Bears used four offensive tackles in 2024, rotating between Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, Larry Borom and Teven Jenkins. Jones was the most consistent of the group, starting all 12 of his games at left tackle. He seemed to have the starting job locked up, but finds himself in a neck-and-neck competition with Ozzy Trapilo in the 2025 offseason.
Trapilo is not the only young player vying for Jones' role. Johnson said 2024 third-round pick Kiran Amegadije is also a part of the competition to round out a three-man race. As the preseason kicks off, the Bears' left tackle battle is still in full swing.
Chicago continues to insist that the race is still on, but Jones is the clear frontrunner thus far. The Bears listed him as their starting left tackle on their unofficial 2025 opening depth chart. Trapilo is listed as his backup, with Amegadije in the lineup as the backup right tackle.
Since entering the league in 2022, Jones has started all 40 of his career games. Injuries have been a recurring issue, but the former FCS star had the best season of his career in 2024. Jones received a career-high 77.4 player grade from Pro Football Focus, placing him in the top 15 percent among all eligible tackles.
Regardless of his recent efficiency, the Bears are clearly looking to usher in an entirely new offensive line unit in 2025. An adjustment was clearly necessary after Caleb Williams took a league-high 68 sacks in 2024. As the highest-rated pass-blocker on the team, Jones was the least of their worries, but Johnson's preference to implement “his” guys still favors Trapilo.
Jones is still holding down the fort as Chicago begins the preseason, but his grasp on the job changes daily. Johnson noted that the job will go to whichever tackle is the most consistent throughout the preseason, meaning even the slightest mistake could cause Jones to fall behind Trapilo on the Bears' 2025 depth chart.
TE Cole Kmet
As soon as the Bears drafted Colston Loveland in the first round, Cole Kmet's job was placed in jeopardy. The pick was somewhat surprising, considering Kmet has been one of the team's most consistent offensive players for the last four years. Regardless, Loveland is clearly the player Johnson wants on his team, putting the 26-year-old veteran in a tough situation.
As solid as Kmet has been, he regressed in 2024. He posted a career-high 719 receiving yards in 2023, giving fans hope that he would flourish with Williams under center. Instead, the two never displayed much chemistry, giving Kmet just 474 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the year.
Kmet's rocky chemistry with Williams is concerning, but Johnson's investment in Loveland is an even bigger threat. Loveland was widely viewed as one of the top tight end prospects of the 2025 NFL Draft class, but few saw him going to the Bears. Chicago saw enough in him to take him at No. 11 despite having seemingly bigger concerns on its roster.
Kmet seems to be holding onto his job for the time being and was listed as the starting tight end on the Bears' unofficial 2025 depth chart. With a strong performance in the preseason, Loveland could quickly surpass him as the starter. Bears fans loved Kmet, but they have enjoyed Loveland's performances in training camp even more.
Even if Loveland begins the year atop the depth chart, few expect that trend to persist. Johnson has discussed bringing his rookies along slowly, but will not hesitate to unleash them when the time is right. Kmet is quickly trending toward being a name to monitor at the trade deadline.
