Week 1 is in the books for the Chicago Bears after they dismantled the Carolina Panthers
, winning 59-37 to start the season 1-0. It was a hot and humid day in Charlotte, and both offenses were on fire for much of the day, trading blows in the first half with the Bears leading 31-24. But Chicago wound up pulling away thanks to a punishing ground attack and a superb passing performance by quarterback Caleb Williams.Defensively, however, the Bears got burned multiple times. Carolina's offense led by quarterback Bryce Young was able to pick apart Chicago's secondary and keep pace for much of the day. Despite the Bears pulling it out in the end, the defense had their fair share of issues.
Following each game the Bears play, we will be taking a close
look at the players whose stock is rising, as well as those who are falling. Here is our first installment of Bear Up, Bear Down for the 2026 season.
Bear up: QB Caleb Williams
Hopes were high for Williams coming into the season, but it was fair to wonder if he would come out of the gates hot or struggle like he did in 2024 and 2025. We got a clear answer from him on Sunday. Williams was sensational, dicing up the Panthers' defense by completing 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while adding two scores and 65 rushing yards on the ground. He finished the day with a passer rating of 124.1 and led the league with a total QBR of 94.9.
The stats are nice, but the eye test was even better. Williams was taking what the defense was giving him by checking down when needed but also still firing accurate deep passes. And they came inside and outside the pocket. Compare this to last year's loss to the Minnesota Vikings when Williams had no rhythm while operating in the pocket, and he looks like a completely different quarterback. This was an MVP-level performance, and Williams' already high stock reached new heights.
Bear down: WR Zavion Thomas
Every single Bears receiver saw the field on offense except rookie Zavion Thomas. The Bears opted to bring up veteran Kaden Davis from the practice squad and utilized him ahead of Thomas on offense, where he played 10 snaps. Thomas didn't log a single one and instead played just six snaps on special teams.
It was disappointing not to see Thomas out there as part of a package after he torched the Tennessee Titans in the preseason finale, but it's also not terribly surprising. Ben Johnson was slow to integrate rookies last year and is taking his time with Thomas as he continues to learn. Plus, with Kalif Raymond and Jahdae Walker having stellar outings, it makes sense to keep Thomas on the bench for now. Still, fans will have to wait to see that blazing speed work with Williams.
Bear up: WR Kalif Raymond
There are so many offensive players to choose from, including running backs D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. But nobody had Kalif Raymond leading the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards to open the 2026 season. Raymond had one of his best games throughout his long career, catching eight passes on nine targets for 84 yards. Five of those receptions went for first downs.
Raymond was signed in the offseason as the replacement for Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay to be the WR3. He's off to a fantastic start and is proving he is willing to do any job when called upon. Raymond was a demon when it came to run blocking as he took out a would-be tackler on Monangai's touchdown run in the third quarter. He even had a solid outing on special teams with a 23-yard punt return. Raymond is clearly going to be a big part of the offense going forward and should see even more opportunities to contribute after what he put on tape.
Bear down: LB Devin Bush
When the Bears signed Devin Bush to a three-year deal this offseason, I was skeptical he would be an upgrade over what they had before. After all, Bush appeared to be a bust early on in his career until he started playing behind players like Myles Garrett in Cleveland. Though it's only been one game, those fears are being realized.
Bush was mostly a nonfactor on Wednesday, totaling just two solo tackles and one QB hit. He was getting pushed around by the opposing offense and even had a rep where he crumpled into the ground for some reason while on a blitz. While it's important to note that Bush is an undersized player at his position and the Panthers were trotting out the Charlotte Hornets front court at receiver, his play must pick up going into Week 2.
Bear up: CB Malik Muhammad
We've seen a handful of rookie cornerbacks struggle early on during their NFL debut. It even happened with the Bears a few years ago with Kyle Gordon back in early 2022, as he was picked on early and often. Malik Muhammad can't see he went through the same thing as Gordon. The 2026 fourth-round rookie, who is ironically starting for Gordon, had a solid debut for an otherwise pitiful defense.
Muhammad made three tackles and defended two passes, including an impressive breakup in the middle of the field early on in the game. He also got the team's first interception of the year on a diving pick near the end of the first half. All while playing a position he's still learning. The Bears needed Muhammad to answer the call on Sunday, and he did so in a big way.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bear Up, Bear Down: Who helped, hurt stock vs. Panthers
