ESPN NFL senior writer and analyst Mike Clay released his 2025 NFL roster grades, with the Chicago Bears earning some unexpected rankings. These evaluations compare all 32 teams before the 2025 NFL Draft, providing an early look at where each roster stands. While it’s just a preliminary assessment, it’s interesting to gauge the overall roster for the Bears.
Breaking Down Mike Clay’s 2025 NFL Roster Grades for the Bears
At first glance, the rankings might seem like just a collection of numbers, but here’s what they mean: teams are ranked based on overall roster strength, with higher numbers indicating a stronger unit at that position. The Bears landed 12th overall, featuring the league’s 16th-ranked offense and 8th-ranked defense. Now, let’s dive into the details.
Quarterback: 5/10
By no means is Caleb Williams a “5/10” quarterback, but rather a result of two factors: An inadequate offensive line paired with incompetent coaching which derailed his rookie season. That doesn’t excuse Williams from some of the 68 sacks he took and deep-ball accuracy issues, but the hope is he improves next season. With a revamped offensive line and Ben Johnson taking over as the head coach, it’s only up from here for Williams.
When asked about Williams’ ranking, here’s what Mike Clay had to say: “I’m using many objective measurements. He’d actually be lower if I wasn’t injecting a little bit of projection in there.”
Running Back: 6/10
Despite putting up 959 rushing yards and 253 receiving yards, D’Andre Swift averaged just 3.8 yards per carry—ranking 39th among qualified running backs. The hope is the overhaul on the offensive line will help Swift and the rest of the running back department next season. Either way, the consensus is the Bears will draft another running back which will help bump this number up.
Wide Receiver: 6/10
This one is surprising, considering the Bears have D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. However, beyond those two, Tyler Scott is the only other receiver currently on the roster. With Ben Johnson calling the shots, the Bears’ receiving corps has the potential to take a significant step forward.
Tight End: 7/10
Given how the previous coaching staff underutilized Cole Kmet, this ranking is a little surprising. Kmet is a quality tight end, but with Durham Smythe as the only other option, the Bears would benefit from adding a third tight end via free agency or the draft.
Offensive Line: 9/10
Going from one of the worst units in the NFL to one of the best, hats off to Ryan Poles and the rest of the Bears’ front office. It was obvious the Bears needed to invest heavily on the offensive line with Caleb Williams getting sacked 68 times last season, but no one could have predicted how the Bears invested. Two trades for starting guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, combined with signing Drew Dalman during free agency are sure to make Williams happy. All that’s left is to find some depth pieces and build some chemistry over the offseason.
Defensive Line: 5/10
The addition of defensive tackle Grady Jarrett gives the Bears a solid trio alongside Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter Sr. If Chicago adds another piece in the draft, this group could quickly become one of the better interior defensive lines in the league.
Edge Rusher: 6/10
Signing Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency helps address a key weakness. The expectation is that he will alleviate some of the double-teams on Montez Sweat, but adding another edge rusher in the draft would solidify the position.
Linebacker: 7/10
The thought of losing Jack Sanborn hurts, but the Bears will be just fine with T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds. Edwards has been a free-agent bargain for the Bears, while Edmunds has left a lot to be desired. The hope is Dennis Allen helps Edmunds return to form.
Cornerback: 8/10
With Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Kyler Gordon on the field, the Bears have one of the top cornerback rooms in the NFL. Stevenson needs to learn from his mistakes last season and show why he was drafted in the second round, while the Bears need to focus on giving Gordon a contract extension.
Safety: 7/10
Kevin Byard was arguably the top free agent signing by the Bears last year, and it’s unfortunate what happened with Jaquan Brisker last season. Regardless, when those two players are on the field, the Bears’ secondary is a no-fly zone. However, questions arise about whether the Bears need to add another safety with Byard heading in the last year of his contract and Brisker dealing with concussion issues.
Last Word on the Bears Roster
Looking at the individual scores, it seems like the Bears don’t have a good roster. However, if you take a second to compare their grades to the rest of the NFL, the Bears are a well-balanced team with untapped potential. Looking at the teams in the division, the Lions ranked 2nd, the Vikings 8th, and the Packers one spot ahead of the Bears at 11th. It’s anyone’s game in the NFC North, and the Bears have a chance to surprise a lot of people next season.
Main Image: Daniel Bartel – USA Today Sports
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