There has been such focus on the Chicago Bears’ defense this season that it’s easy to forget that the 2026 offense was among the league’s best.
It’s true.
Chicago’s offense compiled the 6th-most yards in the NFL, 6th in most first downs, ranked 9th in overall points scored, and 9th in percentage of drives ending with an offensive score. The passing offense put up the 10th-most yards, and the rushing attack was the 3rd-best.
Total yards aren’t always the best measurement for success, so in EPA (Expected
Points Added), Chicago’s offense was 7th, and in DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), the Bears’ offense was 9th.
However you slice it, the Bears had a top 10 offensive unit in Ben Johnson’s first year.
The trigger man of his offense was Caleb Williams, who started to establish himself as one of the faces of the league. He still has plenty of room to grow as a passer, but his electric arm, elusiveness, athleticism, and late-game heroics bode well for the future.
The Bears finally have the head coach, and they finally have the quarterback, so what about the rest of the offense?
General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson redid the entire unit in year one, and they made some tweaks heading into year two, so…
Where would you rank Caleb’s “supporting cast” on offense?
Here’s what FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano had to say while placing Chicago at three overall (3!), just behind the Dallas Cowboys (2) and Los Angeles Rams (1).
They look frighteningly like the Lions of a few years ago, led by a dangerous 1-2 punch at running back, a field-stretching tight end and an offensive game plan that’s hard to predict. That’s the brilliance of head coach Ben Johnson, the former Lions offensive coordinator. “His mind is on par with McVay’s,” one scout told me. “He knows what his players can do better than any coach in the league.”
That’s great for QB Caleb Williams, who is protected by a top-three offensive line and has a thunder-and-lightning backfield with Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift. “You can game plan to stop one,” one scout told me, “but not both.” What Williams really needs is for a wide receiver to emerge so that tight end Colston Loveland doesn’t have to be his top target. Either Rome Odunze or Luther Burden could fill that void, though the former must first show that there aren’t any lingering issues in his foot after suffering a stress fracture late last year.
Ben Johnson’s offense improved every year he was calling plays in Motown, so it’s logical to expect a jump in production for the Bears in 2026.
Vacchiano considers everything around the quarterback, the offense’s supporting cast, which includes the offensive line and play caller.
Do you think the Bears have the third-best support system around the quarterback?
