Since it’s been fun doing instant grades for each Bears game, I thought it might also be fun, since we find ourselves at the bye week and beyond the trade deadline, to take a step back and do a midseason progress report.
Now, with the Bears sitting at 7-2 and in first place in the NFC North, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that there will be quite a few high marks for this team and staff. I would say that most areas have exceeded the expectations that we had for them before the season kicked off.
However, there are most certainly some things that Ben Johnson’s staff and team need to get cleaned up. So with that in mind, let’s send home a midseason progress report and see how the Bears grade out after nine games.
Oct 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift (4) runs for a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn ImagesOffense
QB Caleb Williams | A
I know he’s coming off one of the worst games he’s played in the past two seasons, but Caleb has been nothing short of awesome. Year two of Ben Johnson’s offense has produced a leap that even the most optimistic of us might not have imagined, at least maybe not from the jump. Look at it however you want – numbers, eye test, analytics – Caleb has been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. The offense operates in a way we’ve never seen before as Bears fans. Not only is his arm strength insane, but his decision-making has become that much better, too. Bucs game and all, we still can’t give Caleb Williams anything less than an A thus far.
RB D’Andre Swift | B
D’Andre Swift has been very solid all year long. His numbers have dwindled a bit over the last couple of weeks, but I can’t necessarily pin all of that on him. His offensive line has been up and down, and he’s clearly playing through an ailment or two while Kyle Monangai is still trying to come back from his toe injury. Maybe the production isn’t quite what we hoped, but he’s been a very tough runner and a team-first player, while still being a steady presence in the backfield.
RB Kyle Monangai | C+
The best ability is availability. Monangai got off to a great start to the season, but a toe injury has slowed him down just a bit. Right now he’s like the kid from high school who gets A’s and B’s on all his tests, but misses a day out of every week. If he can get back on the field and be healthy, I have no worries about him, and I think that grade will be a lot closer to an A if that’s the case. When healthy, he’s been awesome. Let’s get him back to that.
WR Rome Odunze | B
The drops haven’t been quite as frequent this season, but they’ve still lingered a little bit more than I think any of us would like. Having said that, Rome Odunze appears to have taken another step forward in his progression in just about every other facet of the game. He’s a great route runner, a playmaker, a willing blocker, and a deep threat. If he can shake the drops, he can be a legit #1 receiver in this league.
Sep 28, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn ImagesWR Luther Burden III | B+
When Luther Burden III is good, he’s really darn good. He’s been the Bears’ most explosive weapon so far this season, but he’s also a reliable option and a bit of a Swiss Army knife. It does seem like he runs a little hot and cold at times, but that can also be due to Ben Johnson’s game plan from week to week and the need to get everyone involved. Burden is budding into a top receiver in the game.
TE Colston Loveland | C-
It’s been a little difficult to grade Loveland so far this season. Coming into the year, we expected him to be a top 3-5 tight end in football, but the involvement in the offense just hasn’t been there. I’m not sure if that’s on him, Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams or what, but it’s been a little confusing.
Now, I do think he’s taking a little bit bigger of a role blocking with Cole Kmet out for the year. And I do think there’s somewhat of an element to Ben Johnson saving him for toward the end of the season and postseason, potentially trying to not overexpose him and get some opposing defenses to gameplan less for him. But whatever the case may be, he just hasn’t been involved as much. However, I don’t expect that to last all year.
Offensive Line | C
This group has been way too up and down. Their highs are really, really high. But some of the lows have been troubling, especially their inability to run against Minnesota and Tampa. Have they been better than average this year? Yes. But I’m also grading them on a curve.
Their expectations weren’t to be average; they were to be the best offensive line in football. At times they look like that, but at times they struggle. They have to get the center position figured out, and the left tackle position as well. Neither of those positions has been objectively horrible, but they also need to be better if this team and offense want to reach the heights they’re capable of.
Defense
Defensive Line | A
If I’m grading the offensive line on a curve, I have to grade the defensive line on a curve as well. They’ve far exceeded the expectations we set for them. Obviously, the Jeffery Simmons trade is a factor in that. He’s turned what had been an average, overachieving group into one of the best in football since his arrival. Grady Jarrett looks better. Montez Sweat and Austin Booker have been really good since the trade. Even Dayo Odeyingbo, I’m excited to see when he gets healthy, given how good he looked pre-injury.
Without Big Jeff, they probably sit at a B or B-, but like the product we’ve seen on the field, his presence elevates everyone around him.
Nov 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Chicago Bears defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (99) reacts after a defensive play against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn ImagesLinebackers | B
I would say this unit underwhelmed a bit to start the season, but they’ve picked things up as we’ve gone, and Devin Bush has, in back-to-back weeks, played his two best games as a Bear. If this group keeps getting better as they have since Jefferey Simmons arrived, this defense can unlock an entirely new level. Last year they couldn’t stop the run when it matters most, but right now it looks like they can.
Secondary | C+
Kind of a weird group to grade. Expectations were higher to start the season, but then Coby Bryant got hurt in camp. Dillon Thieneman and Malik Muhammed have exceeded expectations so far, so that’s great. Heck, even the depth fill-ins have performed admirably when injuries have come up. But Jaylon Johnson’s game, despite the pick-six on Sunday. which was massive, has taken a big drop-off. Tyrique Stevenson is still wildly inconsistent. Kyler Gordon has been awesome since coming back, but he missed some time, as we all know.
The improvement of the defensive line has been great and allows the secondary to not have to play on an island as much, but they’re going to have to get better and stay healthier if the Bears want to make a deep playoff run.
Special Teams
K Cairo Santos | B
Cairo Santos has been just fine. He’s been about exactly what I expected. He’s had a couple frustrating misses, and his kickoffs aren’t as consistent as they should be, but he’s, for the most part, been a steady, reliable presence kicking the ball and has even added some distance to his game. It’s convenient to pick on him at times, but he’s been pretty solid all year.
P Tory Taylor | B
He’s been fine, and the banana ball punts have been fun. It still is a bit disappointing that he just doesn’t seem to have the boom that he had at Iowa and that made him a fourth-round pick, but he’s still a good punter.
Bears Staff
Ben Johnson | A
Has he been perfect this year? No. But no one has. Year 2 under Ben Johnson has exceeded expectations, and he has this team believing and firing in all three phases of the game. The offense looks like a well-oiled machine. The defense has been better than expected. Special Teams has been fine. Now, he still has to clean things up in the second half, mainly the run game. And he also has to start winning in the division. But he has this team at 7-2 at the bye and in first place in the best division in football. It’s hard to ask for anything more than that.
Nov 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen on the sidelines against the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn ImagesDennis Allen | A
There aren’t many coordinators that have done more with less this season. Well, at least until Jeffery Simmons arrived. No coordinator with him at their disposal can be considered to have “less” on their side of the football. But pre-Simmons, he had a group that was lacking skill and depth overachieving. And as he got better pieces (Kyler Gordon, then Jeffery Simmons), his defenses have gotten much better. His adjustment to Simmons has been outstanding, and he’s used that to improve all three levels of his defense and put them in better spots to succeed. It’s hard to have any complaints about Allen’s defense thus far.
Ryan Poles | A
You can say Poles should have added a defensive back, edge, or even a tackle at the deadline. But also, if the prices were too high, the prices were too high. But he went out and made the move of the season by acquiring Jeffery Simmons from the Titans, who was a player most thought would be unavailable. Sure, he paid a high price, but that one move improved quite literally every part of his football team, and has taken a defense that was fighting to be a top 15-20 unit to one that legitimately can be a top 10 defense in the NFL.
If you’re not a Ryan Poles fan, that’s your right, but you can’t deny the Simmons move was a game changer that not only elevated this team’s ceiling, but significantly elevated their floor as well. Without Simmons, the Bears don’t win the Bucs game on SNF. There’s no way the defense survives that tough of an outing from the offense. That trade has absolutely changed this team, elevated them, and significantly boosted their confidence, as well.
Hence then, the article about bears grades at the bye breaking down the 7 2 bears at the midseason point was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Bears Grades At The Bye: Breaking Down The 7-2 Bears At The Midseason Point )
Also on site :