The Chicago Bears' 2025 season was a dreadful one for the players, the coaching staff, the fans, and frankly the entire organization.

Heading into the Week 18 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, the Bears have a chance to end the season on an 11-game losing streak after starting the season 4-2 and could finish defeated in divisional play this season.

General manager Ryan Poles once again has a lot of work to do this offseason to get this roster where it needs to be in order to be competitive in the NFC North and in the entire league as a whole, if he's even sticking around. As part of those changes to the roster, here are 5 starters who might not be returning to Chicago for the 2025 season.

WR Keenan Allen

The Bears' veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen is the biggest question going into the season. Ideally, you'd like to keep a guy like this around for your young quarterback, especially after trading away a fourth-round pick to acquire him.

On the flip side, Allen's high-profile as a top wide receiver will command a sizable contract that the Bears might not be comfortable paying out after extending DJ Moore back in the summer and drafting Rome Odunze in the first round.

At 32-years-old coming off a 700-yard, 7 touchdown season, Allen has just one thing on his mind heading into the final game of the season before addressing his future.

"You got to prove it to all 32 teams," Allen said. "At the end of the day, that's what it's about. The last name on your back is really what matters."

Click here to accept Marketing cookies and load this content

LG Teven Jenkins

This one would be a tough pill for the Bears to swallow. Letting left guard Teven Jenkins walk in free agency could come back to bite the Bears if he turns into the player the team envisioned when he was drafted 39th overall in 2021.

However, it wasn't Poles who drafted Jenkins in the first place and he's already locked up the existing players he wanted to extend that were already on the roster before he took over, such as tight end Cole Kmet and cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

The extension talks have been slow going for Jenkins ever since training camp and it's easy to see why now. In 16 games this season, Jenkins has missed two full games and played less than 75 percent of the offensive snaps in five other games.

Health has been a major question mark for Jenkins' entire career which continues to hold up a long-term deal in Chicago. But, when he's healthy, there's no denying his talent and production as a high-level offensive lineman, and that's something the Bears need more of going into 2025, not less.

This will be Teven Jenkins' 22nd missed game in his four-year career with the Bears.

He has played less than 75% percent of the offensive snaps in 16 other games.

— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) December 27, 2024

C Coleman Shelton

The signing of Coleman Shelton just never paid off for the Bears, even though he started all 16 games so far. Shelton was brought in to compete with Ryan Bates for the starting center job and won the position after Bates suffered an injury during training camp that left Shelton no real competition.

Even though he's been a consistent starter, Shelton has been far from a consistent blocker. Time and time again you can see Shelton getting steamrolled and left on his back in the interior of the front. Among centers in 2024, Shelton has allowed the fourth-most pressures (26) and fourth-most hurries (20).

Poles really skimped out on finding a starting center by signing him, too. Shelton was the seventh center to sign in free agency and was only given a 1-year, $3 million deal. The Bears opted for that instead of spending big on Lloyd Cushenberry, Mitch Morse, or Aaron Brewer. Each of those three players allowed 15 or fewer pressures. And now the Bears will be looking for a long-term center once again.

RG Matt Pryor

Between Jenkins, Coleman, and right guard Matt Pryor, Pryor probably has the best shot at returning to Chicago, but not as a starter. Pryor started 14 straight games for the Bears this season after taking the starting gig from Nate Davis, another failed offensive line addition by the team's current general manager.

Pryor has been serviceable, and would be a great depth option to have back if the team can find a upgrade at the position in free agency or through the draft. Pryor signed a 1-year, $1.175 million deal with Chicago back in March, which now seems like a great value, in hindsight, for the team.

If Pryor would be interested in returning with the Bears, he's a guy you would like to keep, even if he doesn't start. He's got solid value at right guard and right tackle. But, I could see Pryor exploring other opportunities that would offer a larger contract based on his 2024 performance.

Positive tweet moment to mention my respect for Matt Pryor. That guy was supposed to be a backup and has played his absolute ass off all season. In a year like this effort should not go unnoticed

— Katz (@ChiKatz76) December 27, 2024

K Cairo Santos

Just a few weeks ago, I would have told you the Bears were confident in the kicker position after extending Cairo Santos to a four-year contract extension through 2027 last December, I'm not so sure that's the case now.

Week 17's loss against the Seattle Seahawks should tell you all you need to know about the coaching staff's faith in Santos. Faced with a 4th-and-10 from the 40-yard-line with 20 seconds in a three point game, the Bears opted to keep the offense on the field instead of letting Santos attempt a 57-yard field goal to tie it.

Over half the teams in the league would have not only choose to kick in that situation, but also have confidence in their guy to make it. Not Chicago.

That's not even the first concerning thing that's happened with Santos this season. Back in Week 11 against the Packers, Green Bay noticed a flaw in Santos' game and used it to their advantage to block a potential game-winning field goal as time expired. The next week, Minnesota blocked a Santos' field goal again.

If you want to be a great team in this league, you need to have a kicker you can trust, and Santos is no longer that guy no matter how efficient he's been. Cutting Santos as a post June 1st cut would save the Bears $1 million, cutting him before then would result in a $2.1 million cap hit.

NFL makes a final call on when the Packers and the Bears will play in Week 18

Packers backups might play a lot