The Chicago Bears' 2026 season has finally arrived, and it couldn't come soon enough. Fresh off their 11-6 regular season in 2025 that saw them capture the NFC North and advance to the divisional round of the postseason, hopes are sky high for the Bears going into 2026, led by head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. And for good reason.
Williams broke through and ascended to become one of the upper-echelon quarterbacks in the league last season thanks to unreal throws and miraculous comebacks, while Johnson brought a tenacity to the locker room, along with his ever-evolving offensive mind, to build the Bears into a powerhouse. Now the Bears enter the year as contenders and aim to do something they haven't done in 20 years: Go to the postseason
two years in a row.
As with any NFL season, things will ebb and flow each week. Legendary performances will be followed by clunky outings, and each game will be seen as a referendum on the entire year as it's dissected for six straight days. A lot is going to happen, and we're taking our best guesses as to what will take place in 2026. Here are our yearly bold predictions for the upcoming Chicago Bears season.
1. Caleb Williams finishes as MVP finalist
Forget the 4,000-yard or 30-touchdown predictions for Williams. He was already on the precipice of accomplishing both feats last season and should clear those hurdles with ease in 2026. That's too easy of a layup. How about Williams becoming a legitimate MVP candidate late in the season?
With all eyes on the third-year signal caller and the Bears making their push for playoff positioning, Williams will enter the MVP conversation like his good friend Pete Crow-Armstrong on the Chicago Cubs. His tantalizing playmaking ability will be too hard to ignore for the rest of the league, and though he may not come out as the winner, Williams will officially become an elite quarterback with the likes of Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Patrick Mahomes.
2. D'Andre Swift signs an extension
This is a prediction I nearly made going into training camp, and after seeing his performances in practice, I feel even stronger about it. D'Andre Swift has become a vital cog in the Bears' offensive operation, producing a career year in 2025 and looking like he's in midseason form during training camp. While his initial contract back in 2024 looked to be a nightmare, Swift's deal has aged like a fine wine.
Swift is No. 20 overall at his position in AAV with $8 million entering the final year of his deal, yet finished No. 9 overall in yards per carry (4.9) among running backs with at least 150 attempts last year. Paying running backs twice can be a risk, but Swift is still just 27 years old and doesn't have the same mileage other players at his position do. The coaching staff loves what he brings to the table, and he can still split time with Kyle Monangai as a dynamic duo. Swift's next deal won't break the bank, possibly somewhere along the lines of $11 million AAV, and he can be rewarded for his stellar play.
3. Colston Loveland sets multiple franchise records
Colston Loveland is one of the most popular breakout candidates heading into the 2026 season, and for good reason. He dominated near the end of last year, solidifying himself as a go-to target for Williams in the passing game. And he didn't even have a full offseason to work with his quarterback. Now imagine a bigger, stronger Loveland who has essentially been by Williams' side all year long working on his craft. It's the stuff of dreams for Bears fans and nightmares for opponents.
I believe Loveland is fully capable of producing a 1,000-yard season and breaking Mike Ditka's single-season record for a tight end (1,076). I also see him breaking Tom Gordon and Ken Kavanaugh's record of 13 touchdowns in a single season at the same time. Loveland is going to be the "X Factor" on offense and shine the brightest among a group of rising stars. This will be a legendary season for No. 84.
4. Caleb Williams throws 6 touchdowns in a game
At long last, Caleb Williams will have his signature Mitchell Trubisky moment. At least this one will feel more earned and less fluky. The Bears are going to be in some shootouts this year with a high-powered offense and a questionable defense (more on that later), which means they will need some magic from the Iceman at various points throughout the season. One of those times will wind up being a six-touchdown performance that the NFL world will be talking about for a long time.
At some point during the 2026 season, Williams will go off for six passing touchdowns to lead the Bears to a big win. It could come against the Atlanta Falcons or the Miami Dolphins, two teams with lackluster defenses. Or maybe even against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, like Trubisky did. A shootout with fellow Heisman winner and Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield could become an instant classic after all. Whenever it happens, just know that it's coming.
5. Kyler Gordon requests a trade and gets dealt
There is some serious friction between the Bears and cornerback Kyler Gordon, and it's not getting much better. Gordon has been the talk of the offseason for missing spring workouts and training camp with a lower leg injury. It seems the team is getting fed up with his lack of availability, while Gordon's agent is doing PR with NFL insiders throughout the rehab process.
While it seems Gordon should be able to return midway through the season and he does uplift the defense when he's on the field, I think the team is realizing the juice isn't worth the squeeze. These two sides are heading for a divorce, and I think a trade request is made with the Bears moving on before the deadline. It will be an unceremonious end to a frustrating experience for Ryan Poles' first-ever draft pick.
6. Bears score and allow 50+ points this year
This is going to be a wild season with points aplenty coming from both sides of the ball. With an explosive offense and a leaky defense, we're bound to see some eye-popping scores throughout the year. I predict the Bears have a game where they put up 50 points on an opponent while also allowing 50 points in another game.
This actually almost happened last year when Chicago lost to the Detroit Lions 52-21 in Week 2 and beat the Cincinnati Bengals 47-42 in Week 9. It will be more of the same this year as they join notable teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams, who each put up 50 points in the same game back in 2018.
7. Zavion Thomas scores multiple special teams touchdowns
We saw glimpses of what rookie Zavion Thomas can do with the ball in his hands during the preseason. Thomas, the team's third-round pick out of LSU, made magic happen in the preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans when he scored a long touchdown on offense and showed his skills in the return game. It will be interesting to see how quickly Thomas sees the field early on in the season, but eventually, he's going to become the primary return specialist and change games with big plays.
Thomas is going to remind some folks of Devin Hester's rookie season 20 years ago when he burst onto the scene. It's asinine to predict Thomas will take seven returns to the house, but I can see Thomas doing it twice. He has speed you can't teach, and his vision appears to be underrated. He's also learning from one of the better returners around in Kalif Raymond, who has been showing Thomas the ropes as a pro. We could see some special moments from the rookie.
8. Jaylon Johnson returns to All-Pro status
Heading into the regular season, Bears coaches and players alike have been abuzz regarding how Jaylon Johnson has looked during practices. Last season, this staff never got a chance to fully evaluate him as he dealt with groin injuries for much of camp and the season. He got a fresh start in 2026, and he's making the most of it with stellar outings and excellent leadership in the secondary.
There was concern Johnson's best days might be behind him, but I'm predicting a return to Pro Bowl (honors, not the game) and All-Pro status this year. Johnson fits Dennis Allen's style as a physical cornerback, and it's exciting to see these two work together from the jump. While Johnson's numbers may not be as gaudy as past years with question marks along the defensive line, he will prove his worth and be a candidate for another extension next year.
9. Coby Bryant returns for Christmas, gets interception
Bears secondary players and injuries have been an issue all throughout camp, and no one has been more affected than safety Coby Bryant. The Bears signed Bryant to a multiyear extension to become a leader in the secondary away from the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. The fit with the Bears and pairing him with rookie Dillon Thieneman seemed like a stroke of genius, but Bryant suffered a serious knee injury that will cause him to miss most of the regular season.
While we still don't know for sure when (or if) Bryant will be back, I'm optimistic he will return during the regular season. How does Week 16 against the Green Bay Packers on Christmas sound? That will be about five months since Bryant was injured and right in the middle of his four to six-month projected absence. Bryant makes his triumphant return and comes away with an interception off Jordan Love for his debut moment as a Bear. Not a bad Christmas gift.
10. Bears recommit to Illinois for stadium plans
Can't do a season of bold predictions without sneaking in a stadium nugget. It's the never-ending story that keeps getting more confusing and convoluted after each update. It was late in 2025 that the Bears started considering a move to Indiana when team president Kevin Warren issued an open letter with his eyes on Hammond. From there, it has spiraled into a political firestorm involving two states and plenty of words with little action as the Bears moved their focus towards the Hoosier State.
But I'm still of the belief that the Bears and Illinois will get a deal done that works for both sides. The longer this drags on in Indiana with little progress being made on an actual site, the more likely it is the Bears remain in Illinois. After the fall session in Springfield, these two sides will strike a deal, and Warren will move the goalposts yet again to recommit to Illinois. The story will continue on for another year.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 10 bold predictions for the Chicago Bears' 2026 season
