Five free agents the Bears absolutely have to prioritize re-signing that align with Chicago’s vision and salary cap situation
The Chicago Bears have some tough decisions to make soon, starting with which players to bring back in 2026.
The next few weeks will be huge for the Chicago Bears when it comes to re-tooling with hopes of building on the success this team had during the 2025-26 season.
The Bears are sitting in a really good spot going into the second offseason under head coach Ben Johnson in terms of the glaring roster needs and the bulk of the offseason will be about making smart and sound decisions with long-term success in mind.
First order of business is assessing what you currently have on the roster. The Bears have some high-priced players under contract to decide what to do with to free up some money before any moves can be made this offseason. After that, the Bears will look at the list of pending free agents and determine which players fit the vision and financially make sense to re-sign. Here are five pending free agents I would prioritize bringing back with that in mind.
Five free agents that make the most sense for the Bears to re-sign this offseason
1. Kevin Byard
This goes without question. Byard is one of the top leaders on this team and is still playing at a high level after earning first-team All Pro honors this past season. Given his age, Byard isn’t expected to have a major market in free agency, which would make it easier for the Bears to retain a core member of the locker room.
It helps that Byard has similar intentions. He wants to finish out his career with the Bears and understands this team has unfinished business after how the 2025-26 season ended. This should be the first move the Bears look to cross off the list.
2. D’Marco Jackson
The mid-season pickup proved to be a valuable contributor when the Bears got into a pinch at the linebacker position. Jackson came in with previous experience in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme and his play spoke for itself when his number was called, even earning an NFC Defensive Player of the Week nod.
With the possibility that the Bears part ways with Tremaine Edmunds this offseason as a cap casualty, locking Jackson back onto the roster would be a safe decision. Again, it won’t be a major market for Jackson out on the open waters and he’ll most likely prefer to stick in Allen’s scheme and earn a higher role going into the offseason.
3. Theo Benedet
A lot of people seem to be writing Benedet off after the coaches decided to put Joe Thuney at left tackle in place of Ozzy Trapilo against the Rams instead of inserting Benedet back into the lineup. I don’t think the coaches lost confidence in Benedet, I think the Bears just saw a better head-to-head matchup skill-wise with Thuney lining up against Jared Verse.
With the extent of Trapilo’s injury, the Bears will need to make sure they have plenty of options to consider at the left tackle position in 2026. As an exclusive-rights free agent, it’ll make things easy for the Bears to bring him back by simply offering the ERFA tender for the price of the minimum salary.
4. Jonathan Owens
The Bears safety room on paper is going to be completely cleaned out with all four players slated to hit free agency. After already listing Byard as top priority to retain a key starter, I would list Owens as a depth priority at the position while adding in a new starter to join Byard.
Owens originally signed with the Bears on a two-year, $4.75 million contract and played in all 34 regular season games as a key contributor on special teams logging 504 snaps with that unit. He has familiarity and should be a low-cost move to bring back to help keep some depth in the room.
5. Devin Duvernay
It’s not the name many might have expected to see on this list, but Duvernay had a sneaky good season and received some praise from the staff throughout the season. Duvernay finished fourth in the NFL in kick return yardage and eighth in punt return yardage.
While he never broke the big one everyone wanted to see for a touchdown, he still was a top-level return man and flipped the field in key situations during his lone season in Chicago. If the price is right, and it should be, I’m bringing him back for another year.
Free agents I’m on the fence about bringing back
- Braxton Jones
- Jordan McFadden
- Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
- Durham Smythe
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson
- Case Keenum
Free agents that will get priced out of Chicago’s range
- Jaquan Brisker
- Nahshon Wright
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