During the first month of NFL free agency, the Detroit Lions watched the rest of the NFC North teams make signings to address needs, all while also losing key players to other teams across the league.
The Chicago Bears were one of those teams that got hit hard during the first two waves in free agency. The Bears saw a mass exodus in their secondary as Kevin Byard III, Jaquan Brisker, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Nahshon Wright, and Jonathan Owens all signed one-year contracts with new teams.
The Lions, who swept the two-game season series from the Bears in 2025, were specifically happy to see Byard and Wright playing elsewhere. Byard and Wright were turnover machines last season. They helped Chicago be ranked first in takeaways (33). Byard had a league-high seven interceptions, while Wright accumulated five interceptions.
Lions starting quarterback Jared Goff played fairly well against the Bears last season, including a five-touchdown performance in Week 2. Then, when the two teams faced off in Week 18, Goff had a passing touchdown and was intercepted by Byard.
Fortunately, the Lions' QB1 won’t have to worry about those two guys anymore. The Bears’ secondary will look quite different in 2026 as their new pieces and returning players will have some huge shoes to fill, which won’t be easy.
Bears’ Secondary Loses Key Playmakers in FA, Making Life Easier for Lions
To replace Byard and Brisker, the Bears gave a bag to free-agent safety Coby Bryant, signing him to a three-year, $40 million deal. They also brought in versatile defensive back Cam Lewis, giving him a two-year, $6 million contract.
Bryant is a good replacement for Byard, as he’s five years younger than the latter, coming off a Super Bowl win, and has racked up seven interceptions over the last two years. However, Lewis isn’t a direct 1-for-1 replacement for Brisker, which could lead to Chicago drafting a safety later this month.
Lewis hasn’t been a full-time starter throughout his NFL career, starting in 14 games over his first six years with the Buffalo Bills. Lewis is in the same vein as Gardner-Johnson; he has the versatility to play safety and in the slot.
As for the cornerback position in Chicago, the Bears will have to lean on Tyrique Stevenson as their CB2 with no Wright. That’s a concerning proposition, as Stevenson’s play has been up and down over his first three years in the league.
That said, Goff would rather take his chances going after Stevenson than a big target in Wright, who might give up a big play, but will get his revenge with a turnover.
Goff and the Lions have had some success against Stevenson, who has an 87.2 passer rating when targeted vs. Detroit, but has allowed two receiving touchdowns in five career games. The Lions would rather try their hand against Stevenson than Jaylon Johnson, who is one of the better cornerbacks in the league when healthy.
The Lions’ offense, with new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, has to be chomping at the bit to face this Bears’ defense, which hasn’t added more pass rushers yet. A lackluster pass rush could lead to longer drives and more explosive plays.
If Goff can get time in the pocket with the weapons at wide receiver and tight end, it could be a long day for those defenders in the secondary. The Lions will continue to sit back and watch to see if the Bears try to add more talent in the coming weeks.