Chicago Bears soar up NFL power rankings before draft

The Chicago Bears are entering the 2025 NFL Draft with plenty of eyeballs on the organization. Not only do they hold the No. 10 pick in the draft, but the Bears spent all offseason attempting to build themselves into contenders. The draft can be Chicago’s final piece de resistance.

As things stand entering the event however, the Bears find themselves in solid shape. They’ve bolstered both their offensive and defensive lines while hiring one of the most coveted coaches in the league in Ben Johnson. Ultimately, Chicago must prove that their turnaround is for real this time. But for now, Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus sees the Bears as the 13th-best team in the NFL.

“The Bears found ways to better a roster that already could’ve been playoff-caliber by adding Joe Thuney (80.0 PFF overall grade), Drew Dalman (78.8) and Dayo Odeyingbo (42 pressures),” Locker wrote. “The talent is there for Chicago to reach its first postseason since 2020, but Caleb Williams (63.5 PFF passing grade) and Rome Odunze (65.3 PFF receiving grade) will need to play like top-10 picks to make that happen.”

“Overall, it’s easy to be bullish on a new-look Bears team with Ben Johnson calling the shots, especially with what’s expected to be a new, high-profile running back — but there could be growing pains for a first-time head coach on a big stage,” Locker continued.

Chicago Bears ‘growing pains’ 

While the Bears are nearing the top 10, Locker did warn Chicago fans about some difficult ‘growing pains.’ Which, for all the hype the franchise has gotten, is a situation fans are all too familiar with. The Bears haven’t been to the playoffs since 2020 and have now hired their third head coach in that span.

John is considered one of the strongest offensive minds in the NFL. He was patient in choosing his next team despite having interest from nearly every franchise with a vacancy. Still, 2025 will mark Johnson’s first year as a head coach at the NFL level. It’s not an insignificant leap coming up from offensive coordinator.

Especially with how much the Bears struggled on both sides of the ball in 2024. Their defense ranked 27th overall, allowing 354.3 yards per game. Their offense was even worse, ranking dead last, averaging just 284.6 YPG. Still, Johnson knew the situation he was getting into. He should have a plan in place to help Chicago get back on track.

Until he does though, this is still a franchise coming off of a 5-12 campaign. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2010. In so many words, Johnson and company have to prove themselves before the Bears can truly claim they’re back.

Reasons for Bears optimism

Despite those first year jitters, there’s plenty of reason Johnson’s arrival has brought plenty of hype. He consistently made the Detroit Lions one of the strongest offensive teams in the league. In 2024, the Lions ranked second in total offense, averaging 409.5 yards per game. The Bears won’t become offensive world beaters overnight in year one of Johnson, however, there is now a clear gameplan for success in place.

Alongside Johnson, the Bears brought in three new offensive linemen in guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and center Drew Dalman. Thuney is a four-time Super Bowl champion and is coming off of back-to-back All-Pro seasons. Jackson made a Pro Bowl under Johnson with the Lions and Dalman was considered the best center available in free agency. After allowing a league-high 68 sacks in 2024, Chicago turned arguably their biggest weakness into a team strength.

They didn’t forget about the defense though, starting with new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. While his tenure with the New Orleans Saints didn’t go to plan, Allen is still a well respected defensive mind. He’ll have two new tools to work with in Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett. Furthermore, players like Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson will play massive roles. Allen will need to put the pieces together, but the Bears have a solid defensive core in place.

The NFL Draft itself will allow Chicago to augment various parts of their roster. In Johnson’s first draft with the team, he’ll be looking for players he can set the tone and begin building the franchise in his image. If everything goes to plan, the Bears could be pushing for a playoff spot when the regular season rolls around.