Winners and losers from the Bears' 2025 offseason

USA Today

9 hours ago

The Chicago Bears 2025 offseason is heading into the final phase as training camp is just one month away from beginning. Coaches have been hired, free agents have been signed, and the draft has brought in an influx of young talent for this year and beyond. It's been an eventful six months for the Bears, and much has changed around Halas Hall.
Change was needed. The Bears collapsed in 2024, squandering a 4-2 start to finish 5-11 that featured multiple firings within the coaching staff and exposed numerous holes that needed to be addressed. Chicago didn't waste time in doing so, overhauling their coaching staff and key positions in hopes of turning things around.
All in all, it was a successful offseason for the Bears. One that should benefit quite a few players on the team. Others, however, are in a different situation now than they were at the end of the 2024 season. Here are our winners and losers following the Bears' 2025 offseason.
Winner: Ryan Poles
Near the end of the 2024 season, doubt started creeping in as to whether or not general manager Ryan Poles would keep his job. The season itself was a disaster, and Poles was receiving heavy criticism for his decision to retain Matt Eberflus a year earlier, who became the first Bears head coach to be fired in the middle of the season. Though Poles did retain his job going into the offseason, he needed to hit a home run with his next coaching hire. He did just that, at least on paper.
Landing Ben Johnson was critical for Poles' future, as there was uncertainty about his ability to land a prominent name given his perceived short leash. Johnson also worked well with Poles to address key positions via trade and free agency, such as offensive line and defensive line. The approach to the offseason was different, and while Poles was ultimately the man in charge, it was thanks to the coaching staff he brought in.
Winner: QB Caleb Williams
No single player benefitted more from the changes the Bears made this offseason than Caleb Williams. The Bears' signal caller began his career in what was supposed to be an ideal situation for a rookie quarterback. It was anything but, and Williams experienced arguably the most dysfunctional Bears season in team history while still breaking every rookie team record in the book. The Bears, at least on paper, made sure that would never happen again.
The team brought in Johnson, one of the best offensive minds in the game and hottest coaching candidates in recent memory, to get the most out of Williams. They revamped the offensive line with All-Pro and Pro Bowl-caliber veterans like Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Drew Dalman. And they selected young talent at the skill positions, such as tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III. All while he builds chemistry with holdovers like wide receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze and tight end Cole Kmet.
Williams got everything he needed to succeed this offseason, from coaching to players. Now he has to put it all together on the football field.
Loser: TE Cole Kmet
When the Bears opted to select Loveland with the No. 10 overall pick, it immediately created doubt for Kmet's future with the team. Kmet, the longest-tenured player on offense, has been a steady producer for the Bears ever since he came into the league. He's reliable as one of the better tight ends in the league but has never elevated his game to become one of the best at his position.
Kmet isn't going anywhere in 2025 and should play a significant role on offense—especially since Loveland is still recovering from offseason surgery. His future after the season is anyone's guess, though. At only 26 years old, Kmet is in the prime of his career. He's going to play for many more seasons. But with no more guaranteed salary on his contract after this season and a successor in place, it's fair to say this could be Kmet's last season in Chicago.
Winner: OT Darnell Wright
When Week 1 finally arrives and the Bears offense takes the field for the first time, there is a very good chance Darnell Wright looks across the offensive line and sees all new faces at each position. The Bears overhauled the offensive line and four of the five positions could have new starters that weren't on the team a year ago. Wright is the lone holdover, but the changes should be a positive for him.
Entering Year 3, Wright has shown flashes of being a dominant right tackle in this league. He's had to deal with a revolving door at the other positions due to injury or poor performance. In two years, Wright has played next to half a dozen different players at right guard, getting very little stability. That should change with Jonah Jackson in the fold, and having Thuney and Dalman at the other interior positions should raise everyone's level of play. Wright will benefit from the experience in the building as he continues to develop, and with Dan Roushar coaching the offensive line, he could be poised for a breakout season.
Loser: OT Braxton Jones
It was less than a year ago that some Bears players were talking about how Braxton Jones was the best offensive lineman on the team. Times sure have changed. After an injury-ridden 2024 campaign, Jones entered this offseason having to rehab a serious ankle injury while also having to worry about competition at left tackle as he enters a contract year. Jones is still working his way back to form, but it's possible he has already lost his starting job.
On Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bears selected Ozzy Trapilo, a massive tackle out of Boston College. Though Trapilo primarily played on the right side in college, he has been seeing time at the left side during spring practices. Even without practicing in pads, the rookie has impressed coaches enough that it seems he has the inside track at starting. Jones may have his work cut out for him when he returns to action.
Winner: OT Gervon Dexter
No Bears 2023 draft pick took as big of a step in Year 2 as defensive tackle Gervon Dexter. His 2024 season saw improvements across the board, and now he's been put in a position to achieve even more success with the moves the Bears made this offseason. First, bringing in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen should allow Dexter to play multiple roles on the defensive line. Allen likes to mix things up and work with bigger players, which could give Dexter a chance to shine after he added lean mass this offseason.
The other factor is the addition of Grady Jarrett, who is an ideal mentor for someone like Dexter. The former Pro Bowl defensive tackle has lauded Dexter's ability this offseason, and the two of them could form a formidable tandem, with Andrew Billings and Shemar Turner getting into the mix as well.
Loser: LB Noah Sewell
Believe it or not, there was a time when Noah Sewell was projected to be a first-round pick after a stellar couple of years at Oregon. That obviously didn't happen, as he was selected in the fifth round in 2023, and now the third-year linebacker could be in danger of being left off the roster going into the season.
Sewell played in just nine games in 2024 but appeared to have a path to claim the starting strong-side linebacker position following the departure of Jack Sanborn. That all changed when the Bears selected Ruben Hyppolite in the fourth round, a raw yet athletic player out of Maryland. Hyppolite has garnered praise from the coaching staff early and could be in line for more work on defense and special teams. The Bears also re-signed Amen Ogbongbemiga in the offseason, putting Sewell's status in jeopardy.
Winner: CB Kyler Gordon
No Bears defensive player had a better offseason than Kyler Gordon. The fourth-year nickel cornerback was praised by his new coaching staff almost immediately, showing their faith in him and how he will fit into the new system. The Bears backed up that talk with a three-year contract extension that made Gordon one of the highest-paid nickel cornerbacks in the league. It was also significant due to the fact this was Poles' first draft pick to get extended.
Gordon has been one of Poles' best draft picks, and the Bears have big plans for the man nicknamed "Spider-Man" under Allen, who has produced stellar defensive backs during his run in New Orleans. If he can stay healthy, Gordon could be in line for a big season.
Winner: Bears fans
If titles were given out for winning the offseason, the Bears would be a dynasty. The jokes are out there, and given the team's inability to win on the field the last couple of years, they're warranted. That being said, the Bears had a great offseason, and the fans should feel optimistic about the team's chances. They landed the obvious and best candidate to be their head coach and added proven playmakers to bolster the most important positions not named quarterback.
"Winning" the offseason won't guarantee success when the regular season rolls around, but this is the first time the Bears appear to be doing things differently. They didn't cut corners when it came to filling out the coaching staff, and they didn't get cute by trying to find risky stopgaps to fill needy positions. All while trying to maximize their young quarterback that oozes potential. We'll see if the wins come, but fans should feel good about the steps the Bears have taken to get them back to relevancy.