​The 2025 season read like the kind of storybook Chicago Bears fans had hoped for after more than a decade of uneven results. It didn’t culminate in a Super Bowl parade, but the progress—from a stagnant three-year stretch under former head coach Matt Eberflus to Ben Johnson’s inaugural year—was genuinely impressive. Now the real test begins: how to sustain that momentum.
A key part of sustaining success is drawing meaningful contributions from unlikely sources, and last year provided plenty of those. In fact, six of my ten breakout candidates from the previous season did indeed break out. As entertaining as last year was, the coming offseason and the success of the prior year will reshape the landscape for 2026. First, Chicago didn’t have the luxury of abundant resources fans have grown to expect. That alone lowers the likelihood of big-name acquisitions that could raise the team’s floor. Second, when a club wins its division and a playoff game, its role shifts from hunter to hunted.
With the offseason no longer the sole window where the Bears “win,” the next phase of their Super Bowl pursuit must come from within. Here are my ten breakout candidates for the 2026 season. This is Part 1: players ranked 10 through 6. Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow.
10. Interior OL Luke Newman
You might wonder why an interior offensive lineman makes the list. Hear me out. Yes, Newman isn’t projected to start this season, but the coaching staff has spoken highly of him. The Bears had a remarkably healthy offensive line last year, which, while welcome, isn’t something to count on again. Last season marked the first time Jonah Jackson started and finished every regular-season game in his career. The closest he came to that prior was during his first two years in Detroit, when he started 16 games each season. I’m not predicting injuries, but with Jackson and Cam Bradbury both on rosters with two years left on their deals, the odds that at least one of them misses a game in 2026 are higher than zero. That creates a window for Newman to step in and prove himself. Injuries aside, the Bears must plan for the future, and the second-year lineman appears to be part of that contingency. Expect the team to involve him more this season, whether as an extra lineman or in other creative roles. As for Thuney and Jackson, they have two years remaining on their current contracts, but, as this offseason demonstrated, things can change quickly on the line, and Chicago must be ready. Newman represents that readiness.
9. DL Shemar Turner
Turner’s second year looms large for carving out a defined role moving forward. Many viewed him as an awkward fit in this scheme from the start. Although the coaching staff enrolled him as a defensive tackle, he predominantly saw the field as an edge rusher before a season-ending ACL injury interrupted his year—an injury that currently dims the SEO of his narrative rather than the potential it suggests. With a full offseason to grow and adjust, Turner can exploit the experience gap, refine his technique, and become a more reliable rotational piece. His development is essential to the Bears’ defensive evolution, and a healthy, sharper Turner could become a cornerstone of their up-front plans.
8. WR Jordan Holloway
Holloway arrived with intriguing upside as a developmental receiver with special-teams value. In 2025, he showed flashes of hands and route efficiency that suggested he could evolve into a legitimate depth threat. The 2026 season is about refinement and consistency: can he translate those sporadic moments into regular contributions, including valuable snaps on third downs and as a gadget option in specific formations? If Holloway can capitalize on his opportunities and offer reliable reliability in the return game, he could push himself into a more prominent two- or three-wide alignment role.
7. TE Malik Carter
Carter’s physical traits and catching radius give him a ceiling as a matchup problem for linebackers and safeties alike. His progress in mastering the playbook and improving his blocking will determine how quickly he earns consistent targets. If he continues to grow his route running and becomes a trusted option on multi-TE sets, Carter could be a late breakout star of the offense, providing a red-zone presence and a dynamic short-to-intermediate option for the quarterback.
6. CB Jae Townsend
Townsend’s rookie season demonstrated his ball skills and competitiveness in man and zone schemes. His ceiling hinges on his ability to refine technique, improve consistency, and translate practice instincts to game-day reliability. If Townsend makes a leap in coverage awareness and tackiness on contested catches, he becomes a valuable contributor in a secondary that needs versatile depth. His progress could help stabilize the back end and unlock more aggressive, opportunistic playcalls for the defensive coordinator.