Entering the 2025 season, the hope was that the foundation laid by Ryan Poles would prove solid and that Ben Johnson could quickly use the raw materials present to build up towards success.
It looks like Poles has once again selected high end finishes before properly reinforcing the base.
In a season already marred by questionable depth, bad DL play, and poor discipline – who can we rely on moving forward? What can Ben Johnson build upon while he retools this roster?
It’s hard to see a car crash, and
want to look at it closer, frame by frame. But that’s what we are going to do today. With that, I ask:
Who are the Bears’ cornerstones moving forward?
My criteria – which may differ from your criteria – is that these players/coaches need to be viewed as being critical to the Bears for at least the next five years. That rules out vets like Thuney, Jarrett, and Byard, as well as players that don’t appear to be in the plans after the current contract like Braxton Jones and Cole Kmet.
Tier 1
I think the most clear cornerstone we need to establish is Ben Johnson (Age 39, signed through 2029).
Despite the early returns, Johnson comes from strong pedigree, has already earned high marks from those around the organization, and has presented well in his media opportunities. Johnson has the makings of a coach that can balance creativity with leadership, and that alone should make Bears fans confident that he is the center of the Bears for the foreseeable future.
Next up is Caleb Williams (Age 23, signed through 2027 with club option for 2028).
While I think the Bears would move on from Caleb before Ben, there should be a lot of confidence that Williams will be the face of the franchise moving forward. His rookie season was measured against the remarkable standards set by Daniels and Stroud, so his performance hasn’t gotten the due it deserves. He has already proven to be elite in arm talent and evading pressure, and is showing improvement in accuracy and processing. Assuming that the current trend continues, the marriage between Johnson and Williams is the bed rock for the Bears future.
Tier 2
From there, things get a little murkier. However, I think there are a few players that are both young and proven (enough) to suggest that they are cornerstone talents.
The first of which is Jaylon Johnson (Age 26, signed through 2027).
While JJ’s likely season ending injury might put a little more doubt on his cornerstone status, he has still shown to be an elite level player when healthy. And elite level players have been few and far between on the Bears roster in recent years. Expect Johnson to remain a mainstay on this defense moving forward.
Next, I have Rome Odunze (Age 23, signed through 2027 with club option for 2028).
Rome’s rookie season was up and down, with him finishing with a respectable 734 yards receiving and 3 TDs. However, the start to his 2025 season has shown he has another gear. After his breakout performance against the Lions, Odunze is already on pace for 1,400+ yards and north of 20 TDs cementing himself as the WR1 of the future.
From there, I have Darnell Wright (Age 24, signed through 2026 with club option for 2027).
While Wright’s had some consistency issues, where he is prone to giving up an occasional sack or take a bad penalty, he has shown elite strength and speed early in his career. Already in his third season, Wright is the Bears’ best lineman and a valuable piece moving forward.
Tier 3
This is where things break a little bit for me, which is a problem given only four players have been named so far. The following players are either too new (rookies) or need things to break positively in terms of development or injuries.
The first in this grouping is Kyler Gordon (Age 25, signed through 2028).
Gordon has immense talent and has become one of the most unique defenders in the NFL when he is on the field. And that’s where the problem lies – he isn’t on the field nearly enough. He has already missed 9 games in his first 3 seasons, and another 2 to start the 2025 schedule. If he is to establish himself further as a cornerstone piece, he will need to prove more durable.
The next two players are Colston Loveland (Age 21, signed through 2028 with club option for 2029) and Luther Burden III (Age 21, signed through 2028).
Both Loveland and Burden have immense talent and potential. Both of them are both still very young and behind veterans on the depth chart. It is too early to say with certainty that either player is going to be elite, average, or a bust – however, it is clear that both players are major parts of the Bears plan moving forward.
Players Considered
- Jaquan Brisker: Brisker has the talent to be an important piece for the Bears moving forward, but he simply has not done enough on the field to validate his status as a cornerstone piece.
- Drew Dalman: Dalman was signed to a large contract for a Center, which suggests that he is a valuable piece for at least the next few years. However, it is too early to evaluate his likelihood of remaining on the Bears in 5 years and beyond.
- DJ Moore: Perhaps the most painful omission, Moore has been a cornerstone piece of the Bears since he arrived in 2023. With the emergence of Rome Odunze, the drafting of Luther Burden, and his contract likely being reconsidered in 2027 during is age 30 season, it’s too difficult to say with certainty that he is a cornerstone player.
There you have it. Those are my cornerstone Bears moving forward. After going through this exercise, one thing is painfully clear: the Bears simply do not have enough top end talent. Let’s hope that we can add another player or two to the list by season’s end.
Now it’s your turn! Who do you consider the Bears’ cornerstones moving forward? Sound off in the comments!
