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The Chicago Bears’ defense had some issues a season ago, but one aspect that they were stellar in was taking the ball away. They led the NFL with 33 takeaways (23 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries), which helped them have a league-best +22 turnover differential.
Atop their 2025
defensive leaderboard were cornerback Nahshon Wright (5 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries), safety Kevin Byard (7 interceptions), and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (4 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries).
All three of those defenders are elsewhere in 2026, so if the Bears want to continue their takeaway dominance, they’ll need someone to step up.
I know, I know, being high in defensive takeaways isn’t normally a statistic that carries over from season to season. The football doesn’t always bounce in a favorable way year to year, so the odds of the Bears racking up 33 takeaways are slim.
But we’re Bears fans.
We saw firsthand how Lovie Smith and his defensive staff emphasized takeaways during his time in Chicago, and the Bears were always near the top of the NFL in that category. The Bears’ current regime may not have a catchy acronym to take The Ball away, but Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen, Defensive Backs/Passing Game Coordinator Al Harris, and the rest of the staff stress it to their players.
Who do you predict will be Chicago’s top takeaway artist in 2026? Vote in our Reacts poll and we’ll share your results in a few days!
