The biggest shock in the pre-training camp power rankings isn’t the team’s record. It is the massive gap between the offense and the defense. National outlets rank the Chicago Bears as low as 11th overall, even after a fantastic 2025 season. This split view shows a team that feels ready to win but lacks the final piece to dominate.
Yahoo Sports places the Bears at 11th, citing real risks of regression. They note that rookie head coaches often have one big year and then fade. Ben Johnson looks like a great hire, but the defense remains a major question mark. According to reports, the team will likely see some pullback in performance despite having a good shot at a playoff berth.
Fox Sports offers a slightly higher view at 8th but keeps the same warning. In the second year of the Ben Johnson era, Ralph Vacchiano writes that this dangerous offense will only improve. The only real question is whether the front office did enough to fix the defense. The jury on that fix is still out, leaving fans to wonder if the unit can keep up.
The Numbers Behind The Skepticism
The Athletic provides the most detailed breakdown of why some experts hold back. Josh Kendall ranks the team 12th, pointing to specific stats that need work. Caleb Williams finished 13th last year in EPA/dropback with a 0.08 rating. He also sat at 32nd in completion percentage at 58.1 percent and 32nd in off-target rate at 14.6 percent. These numbers show the quarterback still has room to grow even after a breakout year.
Pro-Football Network ranks the team 7th, focusing on roster changes. According to reports, the Bears shed a few key starters while bringing in new faces such as Coby Bryant, Devin Bush, and Garrett Bradbury. During the 2026 NFL Draft, Safety Dillon Thieneman ranked as one of the first round’s biggest steals. The major worry persists because the subpar defensive line appears almost identical to last year’s unit. Since the roster sits at dead even, hopes for progress depend heavily on young offensive stars developing and better health in the secondary.
Bleacher Report rounds out the list at 10th, suggesting the team is still a year away. Brent Sobleski thinks the Bears could be a year away from fielding a Super Bowl-caliber roster. He anticipates Chicago reaching the playoffs again this coming year, though the gap between good and great stays wide. The young core on offense is retained, but the defensive holes are the reason for the lower rankings.
Why This Matters
The divergence in these rankings tells a clear story about the team’s identity. The offense is set to improve with Williams and Johnson in their second year together. But the defense is the anchor that drags the overall ranking down. If the new additions like Thieneman and Bradbury cannot fix the line, the offense will have to carry the whole team. That is a heavy load for any squad to bear over a full season.
Fans should watch the defensive line drills closely in Lake Forest. The offensive stats are already known, but the defensive improvements are the unknown variable. If the unit stays subpar, the 11th or 12th ranking could become a reality. If they surprise, the team could jump into the top five quickly. The camp will decide if the defense is ready or if the offense must do it all alone.
The Final Take
Training camp starts now, and the answers are just a few weeks away. The rankings show a team with high hopes but clear flaws. Williams has the talent to be elite, but the defense must step up to match him. The Bears are not a finished product yet. They are a work in progress that could go either way. Stay tuned to see if the defense finally finds its form.
