The Chicago Bears have some important questions to answer this offseason. After a magical run to the postseason, Chicago comes into the 2026 offseason with a new mindset. Instead of rebuilding, the team is now looking to make improvements to its roster for an immediate Super Bowl run.
That direction comes with some tough decisions for the Bears. In particular, they have a few notable players who are headed towards free agency, with most of them on the defensive side. Considering the issues the team had on that end last season, they'll have to decide which of their players they'd want to keep around and which players they'll have to let go.
Who are these players? Let's take a look.
Bears' major free agents
Most of the top free agents for the Bears this offseason are on the defensive side. Most of their secondary, in particular, will hit free agency this season. Their starting safety duo of Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard is hitting the open market. So are cornerbacks Nashon Wright and CJ Gardner-Johnson. Interior defensive lineman Andrew Billings and safety Jonathan Owens are also headed towards free agency this offseason.
On the offensive side, left tackle Braxton Jones is the biggest name that's set to enter free agency. Third-string veteran quarterback Case Keenum will also be an FA. Return specialist Devin Duvernay and wide receiver Olamide Zaccheus are the other notable players on offense who will be free agents this offseason. Overall, the Bears have 22 unrestricted free agents this offseason.
Jaquan Brisker, S
The Bears' toughest decision this offseason will be what they decide to do with their safety position. Byard and Brisker are the backbone of the Chicago secondary, and both players are coming off solid seasons. Their performance this season has earned both players a better contract, which puts the Bears in a bind. The likely scenario is that they'll be able to keep one of Brisker or Byard, but not both.
Byard is one of the older players in the league (32 years old), but he's also coming off arguably his best season in the league. The Bears safety's leadership is also heavily valued in the locker room. Brisker played well as well in the secondary (93 tackles), but his lengthy injury history and uninspiring production doesn't help his case. If the Bears had to choose, Brisker is the likely odd man out.
CJ Gardner-Johnson, CB
The Bears dealt with a ton of injuries last season, with their cornerback room being hit the hardest over the course of the year. Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Johnson missed a significant chunk of the season due to injuries. In their stead, Nashon Wright stepped up as one of the best ball-hawk corners in the league. Free agent pickup CJ Gardner-Johnson, who had multiple stops this year before staying in Chicago, also performed well in spurts.
Wright will definitely earn a better contract after his excellent play this season. As for Gardner-Johnson, though, it's in the Bears' interest to let him go. Gardner-Johnson is much older, with some gaps in his game that were exploited over the course of the season. Unless CJGJ has made a significant impact in the locker room, it's hard to see Chicago keeping him around.
Braxton Jones, OL
The case to keep Braxton Jones on the Bears is not related to the left tackle's improvement. Far from it, actually: Jones struggled during his stint with Chicago, leading to the tackle getting benched in the middle of the season. A midseason knee injury kept the former fifth-round pick on injured reserve for the rest of the season.
The argument to keep Jones, though, is due to another injury to the Bears offensive line. Ozzy Trapilo, Jones' replacement at left tackle, suffered a torn patellar tendon towards the end of Chicago's season. Trapilo is expected to be out for some time, which could open the door for Jones to return. However, it might not be worth the trouble keeping Jones around. Chicago can use the draft and free agency to find a stopgap replacement for their blindside.
