Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears are banking heavily on internal improvement to take a step forward in 2026, but they face new circumstances, including a target on their backs as the reigning NFC North champions.
There are a lot of opinions floating around about their outlook, with former players, insiders, and even former executives weighing in.
Rather than a consensus, the Bears could be left with a bit of a conundrum.
Bears Get Honest Take From Ex-Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum
2026 Schedule, NFC North Loom Large for Defending Champion Bears
Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum was part of a discussion about Johnson’s Bears on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Monday, which also included former Pro Bowl linebacker Bart Scott and league insider Dan Graziano.
Asked whether the Bears are the team to beat in the division, the panel was candid.
The Bears won 11 games last season, riding a surge of wins against non-playoff opponents in 2025, but will slog through a first-place slate in 2026.
“You know what’s tricky about the Bears?” Tannenbaum asked before answering his own question, after hearing his fellow panelists’ responses. “They may be a better team with a worse record, just given the way the turnovers went the whole year.”
The Bears led the NFL in takeaways last season, keyed by a league-high 23 interceptions. But five players who accounted for 19 of those are no longer on the Bears’ roster.
Turnover variance already impacted the Bears during the playoffs. That is not all, either.
Graziano said, “I don’t think [the Bears are the team to beat], no. I don’t expect the Lions to be down for long. That’s an excellent team. It was a 15-game winner just two seasons ago. They had injuries. It seems like they’ve addressed the line. Bears’ schedule will be tougher. Brutal division.”
Scott echoed similar sentiments about the Minnesota Vikings, noting the Bears are “going to be the hunted and not the hunters anymore.”
The Vikings added two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray this offseason.
“I’m still talking to the Minnesota Vikings,” Scott said during the roundtable portion of the segment. “You talk about reclamation projects. I think talent-wise, [the Vikings have the] most-talented offensive personnel in that division.”
The conversation did not even really account for the Bears’ most-hated rival, the Green Bay Packers, who were the only other team in the division to make the playoffs last season.
Bears Coach’s Comments on Caleb Williams Under Microscope
Last week, Bears quarterback coach J.T. Barrett spoke about wanting Caleb Williams to “do less” on the field.
Those remarks have become polarizing. Fox Sports 1’s Danny Parkins argued against reigning Williams in on “First Things First” on May 25, but received pushback from former Jets head coach Eric Mangini. Mangini argued that keeping the offense on schedule helps everyone.
Tannenbaum, notably, hired (and fired) Mangini in New York.
Still, the former executive echoed his former coaching hire’s sentiments regarding the Bears’ young QB.
Tannenbaum noted there was a “time and place,” citing a belief that that was what Barrett meant, and adding, “Early in games, get the ball out of your hands. Long handoffs. Get it to the playmakers, and we’ll be talking about 65%, 68% in terms of completion percentage.”
Johnson set a high bar for Williams last season at 70%.
The Bears’ QB did not approach that mark, finishing as one of the least accurate qualifying passers in terms of, among other things, completion percentage.
However, Johnson and Williams have noted that Williams’ completion percentage is a nuanced conversation, but one that both recognize can and must improve for the Bears to take another step forward as a team.
