Honestly, looking at the Bears depth chart 2025, it’s like watching a high-stakes game of Tetris where the pieces finally started clicking—but then a few key ones just snapped.
You’ve got Caleb Williams entering his second year, and let’s be real, the "savior" narrative is already getting exhausting. But if you look past the noise, the roster GM Ryan Poles built for this 2025 season is actually fascinating. It’s a weird mix of high-priced veterans and rookies like Luther Burden III who are basically being asked to save the city.
The most recent shakeups, though? They’re a mess. Just as the Bears are prepping for their Divisional Round matchup against the Rams in January 2026, the depth chart is essentially a revolving door.
The Caleb Williams Experiment: Year Two Realities
Everyone expected Caleb to come in and just start slinging it like prime Patrick Mahomes.
It hasn't been that simple.
His 2025 campaign has been—kinda uneven?
Sure, he broke the Bears rookie records last year, and his arm talent is literally undeniable, but the protection has been a nightmare for chunks of this season.
Under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson—who basically left the Lions to be a wizard in Chicago—the offense has shifted. Caleb is taking fewer sacks in the pocket, not because the line is elite, but because he’s basically given up on "the script." He’s scrambling way more. In 2024, he took 56 sacks inside the pocket. In 2025? That number plummeted to 13. He’s living in the "scramble drill" now.
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The Weapons Around Him
It’s not like he’s throwing to nobody. The WR room is legitimately deep, which makes the Bears depth chart 2025 look great on paper:
- DJ Moore: Still the alpha, under contract through 2029.
- Rome Odunze: The second-year breakout.
- Luther Burden III: The rookie sensation who’s already getting seven+ targets a game.
- Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay: Solid depth and return guys.
But then you look at the tight ends. Cole Kmet is the reliable vet, but the rookie Colston Loveland has actually been pushing for those starter reps. It’s a "good problem to have" until you realize how many mouths there are to feed in this offense.
The Trenches: A Massive Overhaul (With Caveats)
If you followed the 2025 offseason, you know Poles went "offensive line or bust." He traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. He grabbed Drew Dalman from Atlanta. Basically, he tried to buy a wall for Caleb.
It mostly worked.
Until the injuries hit.
Braxton Jones just got activated off IR for the playoffs, which is huge. But the Bears just lost rookie Ozzy Trapilo to IR with a quad issue right before the Rams game.
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On the other side of the ball, the defensive line is anchored by Montez Sweat, but the real story is the interior. Getting Grady Jarrett after Atlanta cut him was a steal. Pairing him with Gervon Dexter Sr. has made the middle of that defense a lot meaner than it was a year ago.
The Defensive Heartbreak
Here is where things get shaky for the postseason. T.J. Edwards—the guy who literally leads the team in tackles—is out. He’s on IR. That is a massive hole in the middle of the field.
To try and plug the leak, they’ve signed Jalen Reeves-Maybin to the active roster.
Is it enough?
Probably not to replace a guy like Edwards, but Reeves-Maybin is a special teams ace and a decent downhill tackler. The linebacker depth now looks like this:
- Tremaine Edmunds (The last man standing of the core duo)
- Amen Ogbongbemiga (Stepping into a huge role)
- Jalen Reeves-Maybin (The veteran emergency button)
- Noah Sewell & Ruben Hyppolite II (The young guys)
The secondary remains the strength of this team. Jaylon Johnson is an elite lockdown corner, and Tyrique Stevenson has developed into a ballhawk. Kyler Gordon is finally healthy and back from IR just in time for the Packers and Rams games, which gives the nickel spot its teeth back.
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Special Teams: The Secret Weapon?
You can’t talk about the Bears depth chart 2025 without mentioning Tory Taylor. The "Punt God" has been a literal weapon. Cairo Santos is still hitting game-winners, including that 51-yarder that buried the Packers.
But keep an eye on Devin Duvernay. He’s an All-Pro returner for a reason. In a playoff game where the offense might stall, a 40-yard return from Duvernay or a trick-play touchdown from Josh Blackwell (remember that 94-yarder?) could be the difference.
Current Roster Outlook for the Playoffs:
- QB: Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum
- RB: D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Travis Homer
- LT: Braxton Jones (Returning), Theo Benedet
- LG: Joe Thuney
- C: Drew Dalman
- RG: Jonah Jackson
- RT: Darnell Wright
- DE: Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, Dominique Robinson
- DT: Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings
- CB: Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon
- S: Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard III
Actionable Insights for Bears Fans
If you're tracking this team into the 2026 offseason, watch the linebacker and edge rusher spots. Even with Montez Sweat, the lack of a consistent "second" elite pass rusher is forcing the secondary to hold up for way too long. Austin Booker has shown flashes, but he’s still growing.
Keep an eye on the practice squad elevations. Guys like Nephi Sewell and Nikola Kalinic are going to be playing meaningful snaps in the Divisional Round. That’s not ideal, but it’s the reality of the 2025 season.
Monitor the injury status of Braxton Jones’ knee. If he can’t hold up for four quarters, Caleb is going to be running for his life against the Rams' front, and all that progress we've seen from the Ben Johnson offense could evaporate in a single afternoon.