How the Bears Can Make a Deeper Playoff Run Next Season

It’s not all doom and gloom in Chicago. The divisional round loss to the Rams stung, especially after Caleb Williams’ incredible fourth-down throw to Cole Kmet sent the game to overtime. But let’s step back and look at what actually happened in 2025.

The Bears went 11-6, won the NFC North for the first time since 2018, and beat the Packers in the Wild Card round for their first playoff victory in 15 years.

More importantly, the franchise finally solved the two biggest problems that have held them back for decades. They found a real franchise quarterback in Williams, who threw for almost 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns with just seven interceptions. And they found a head coach in Ben Johnson who turned a bottom-five offense into a top-ten scoring attack in one season.

Yes, Bears fans and bettors alike will be watching this weekend’s Super Bowl from the sofa, but the vibe around this team has completely changed. Back in January, they were sitting in that +2200 to +1800 to reach the Levi’s Stadium at most online sportsbook sites (priced like a dangerous outsider rather than a true long-shot), and they mostly lived up to that billing.

But the future is bright. The question heading into 2026 isn’t whether the Bears can compete, but rather, what they need to fix to take the next step and make a deeper playoff run.

Protect What Changed the Franchise’s Ceiling

The offensive line transformation in 2025 was nothing short of remarkable. In 2024, Williams got destroyed behind one of the worst pass-blocking units in football. He took a league-high 68 sacks with a 10.7% sack rate that ranked dead last in the NFL. Fixing that disaster became priority one heading into 2025.

The overhaul worked. The Bears brought in Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson to fortify the interior, then added rookie Ozzy Trapilo. By midseason, the sack rate had been cut roughly in half to around five percent. Some outlets graded the unit as a top-four group by late November. Williams went from running for his life to having time to survey the field and make plays.

The move for 2026 shouldn’t be blowing more resources on the offensive line. It should be to protect the investment. They’ll need to retain as much of the starting five as possible to maintain continuity in protections and communication, as well as add one versatile interior piece to cover injuries and keep standards high. Most importantly, they’ll need to keep the scheme fit with Johnson’s quick-game and play-action concepts that helped reduce pressure as much as the personnel upgrades did.

Turn Linebacker Depth Into an Advantage

The linebacker position looked solid on paper heading into 2025. Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Noah Sewell gave the Bears three capable starters at inside linebacker. Then injuries hit, and the depth got exposed fast.

All three missed time during the season, leaving the team scrambling with backup bodies in the middle of the defense. At one point, the coaching staff was preparing to lean on reserve options like D’Marco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga because of lingering soft-tissue issues with the starters. That’s not a sustainable way to compete in January.

Linebacker depth matters in playoff football. Injuries at the position hurt run fits and short-zone coverage, exactly where postseason games are often decided. The Bears want to play complementary football. If the offense is finally putting up points, they cannot afford to leak yardage over the middle when starters sit.

Add one high-floor, starting-capable inside linebacker via free agency or Day 2 of the draft. Bring in a coverage-capable depth piece so the defense doesn’t fall off a cliff when Edmunds or Edwards get dinged up.

Fully Commit to Building Around Caleb

This is the big one. Williams just delivered a season that should silence any doubts about whether he’s the guy. He broke the franchise’s single-season passing record with 3,942 yards. He finished top-ten league-wide in both yards and touchdowns. He threw just seven interceptions all season, a stunningly low number for a quarterback who made so many high-difficulty throws in clutch moments.

The Cardiac Bears nickname came from Williams leading the team to seven comeback wins when trailing in the final two minutes, including six in the regular season and one in the playoffs.

He hit DJ Moore for a 46-yard overtime touchdown to beat the Packers at Soldier Field in Week 16. He threw a fourth-and-eight dime to Rome Odunze in the Wild Card rematch against Green Bay to keep the season alive. He flipped a 50-yard pass off his back foot to Kmet for a game-tying touchdown against the Rams with 18 seconds left.

Williams makes throws that franchise quarterbacks make when everything is on the line. He’s already playing at borderline top-ten quarterback level in his second season. The next step is surrounding him the way other teams have built around their young stars.

The Bears scored 441 points in 2025, a genuinely elite total by franchise standards. They jumped from 28th in scoring and 32nd in total yards to ninth in scoring and sixth in yards. That leap happened because Williams and Johnson clicked immediately. Building on that momentum means giving them the weapons and protection to keep ascending.

Long-Term Winning

The Bears exceeded expectations in 2025. They won the division. They beat the Packers twice, including a thrilling playoff victory. They proved Caleb is the real deal and that Johnson knows how to build a championship-caliber offense.

The playoff loss to the Rams was painful, but it was a loss that showed progress. The Bears weren’t blown out. They were one of the final eight teams standing. Teams that lose like this usually take the next step the following year.

Chicago is no longer just happy to be in the playoffs; the team is being built into something sustainable, and the 2026 season is about proving they can win consistently.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/how-the-bears-can-make-a-deeper-playoff-run-next-season