Bears Hit Reset on Defense: Why Chicago’s Secondary Overhaul Was Necessary
The Chicago Bears have been a busy team in the offseason leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft. General Manager Ryan Poles has been making moves, mainly sending his players elsewhere in the NFL. In comparison to last offseason, the Bears were acquiring a lot more talent instead of releasing them. For fans in the Windy City, this is brand new territory, as they’ve become accustomed to having big offseasons that involve landing great talent instead of shopping them. They’ve lost wide receiver D.J. Moore, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, and a large chunk of their defensive back room. Their moves at that defensive position have confused some Bears fans, but they’re exactly what Ryan Poles needed to do.
Safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard III were a part of these released defensive backs. Byard is coming off a Pro Bowl year where he was arguably the Bears’ best defender all season. Brisker, who was formerly drafted by Chicago in 2022, had an up-and-down year but was still serviceable in the Bears’ playoff run, providing an argument that he should’ve stayed another year despite his injuries. Unfortunately for Brisker, he was unable to stay consistent, leaving Chicago no choice but to move on and save some money for a more reliable replacement. Byard was in a similar situation in terms of saving money, and despite his incredible performance all season, he’s beginning to age, and signing him to a long-term contract may be a risk for Chicago. The Bears also lost cornerback Nahshon Wright and safety C.J. Gardner- Johnson. Wright was another Pro Bowl player for Chicago this year, but it wasn’t enough to convince them to pay up this offseason and trust him going forward. Gardner-Johnson was added to the Bears during the season, and while he was a great addition to the team, his future never seemed likely to stay with Chicago.
These moves at defensive back may disappoint some Bears fans or even worry them for next year, but despite leading the league in takeaways, they weren’t that great in all other areas. The defense ranked 29th in total yards allowed per game with a 361 average and 23rd in points allowed with an average of 24. They also struggled against the rush, ranking 27th. It became very difficult towards the end of the year on defense, especially against the San Francisco 49ers, where they let up 42 points in a frustrating game. The decisions to move on from these players may not feel great as they happen, but it was a much-needed overhaul as head coach Ben Johnson will rely on finding replacements through the draft. The offense has found its footing, and now it’s time for the Monsters of the Midway to as well on defense.
