The Chicago Bears may have gotten the best of the Detroit Lions and the NFC North last season, but they're far from a flawless team. Their defense has plenty of catching up to do, and Caleb Williams' heroics won't bail them out every week.
The Bears had a glaring need for a pass rusher, but they chose to ignore it in the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead, they wasted mid-round picks on a tight end and a wide receiver as if they didn't have more than enough.
Now, Ben Johnson's team might dig itself into a bigger hole in an attempt to right that wrong. According to Pro Football Network's Jacob Infante, the Bears couldwin the Joey Bosa free-agency sweepstakes.
Lions can only laugh at the Bears' projected Joey Bosa gamble
"In his first season away from the Chargers, Joey Bosa led the NFL with five forced fumbles and also tallied five sacks with the Bills in 2025. Injuries have slowed him down, but he’s still a high-level rotational piece who would benefit a contending team as a late free agent signing," wrote Infante.
Getting Joey Bosa in the division would've been concerning five years ago, but not in 2026. While he's been mostly healthy over the past couple of years, he's always struggled to stay on the field, and players don't tend to get healthier after turning 30.
Spotrac projects Joey Bosa's market value at $13.7 million per year. That's a lot for someone who has missed as many games as he has, to the point where even the San Francisco 49ers admitted that they couldn't afford to pair him with his brother Nick.
The Bears could've had one of the many young pass rushers entering the league this season, and watching them choose a 10-year veteran who can stay on the field would just be music to Lions fans' ears. That should only add to the many doubts about the Bears' legitimate chances of repeating as divisional champions.
The Lions gave the rest of the NFC North a gap year in 2025, but that won't be the case again next season. They're thirsty for revenge, moved on from flawed offensive coordinator John Morton, and got stronger on both sides of the ball this offseason.
Watching the rest of the division do next to nothing to get better has been a huge win for Dan Campbell's team. And as much as the Bears would like to just outscore everybody, good luck trying to stop the Lions' offense with Bosa limping his way to the line of scrimmage.
More Detroit Lions news and rumors:
Add us as a preferred source on Google