2025 NFL Off Season Updates Presented by GoldSheet | Chicago Bears
Is Ben Johnson the man to bring stability to the Chicago Bears organization? Johnson will be the sixth head coach to roam the Soldier Field sidelines since 2013.
Second-year QB Caleb Williams generated some impressive numbers during his rookie season, but the team was clearly in disarray during the second half of the year.
2025 Chicago Bears Team Preview
NFC North Odds
| Team | SB LX Odds | NFC | Division | Win Total |
| Lions | +900 | +425 | +135 | 10.5 (-110) |
| Packers | +2200 | +1100 | +275 | 9.5 (o -120 / u EV) |
| Vikings | +3000 | +1400 | +400 | 8.5 (o -130 / u +110) |
| Bears | +3500 | +1600 | +425 | 8.5 (o +110 / u -130) |
Odds above courtesy of DraftKings as of April 16. The Chicago Bears finished last in the NFC North last season going 5-12 straight-up, 8-7-2 against the spread. The Bears were 4-2 to open the season before going on a ten-game losing streak.
Chicago Bears Roster Moves
QBs on Roster: Caleb Williams (2nd Year); Case Keenum (1st Year w/ Team); Tyson Bagent (3rd Year); and Austin Reed (2nd Year).
Coaching Changes: Former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is the new head coach. Declan Doyle will get his first opportunity as an offensive coordinator and former Saints coach Dennis Allen will serve as the defensive coordinator.
Key Acquisitions: Offensive lineman Jonah Jackson; Offensive lineman Joe Thuney; Edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo; and reserve QB Case Keenum.
Key Departures: Offensive lineman Coleman Shelton and offensive lineman Teven Jenkins. Wide receiver Keenan Allen is a free agent and appears unlikely to be re-signed by the Bears.
2025 Chicago Bears Schedule
Home Opponents: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Cowboys, Giants, Browns, Steelers and Saints
Road Opponents: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Ravens, Bengals, Eagles, Commanders, 49ers and Raiders
2025-26 NFL Rule Changes
- Touchbacks on a kickoff will now give the receiving team the ball on the 35-yard line instead of the 30 in an effort to increase more kick returns and discourage touchbacks.
- The regular season overtime rules will now match the postseason overtime rules, as both teams will now have an opportunity to possess the ball regardless of the outcome of the first drive. Per Jon Ferrari of the Eagles, 37.5-percent of last year’s overtime games ended with a first-drive touchdown. The new rule will allow both teams to have the ball.
- The video review booth will have an increased role in assisting the on-field officials. The video assistants can’t put a flag on the field if they believe that the officials missed a call, but they can pick one up if an erroneous flag is thrown (i.e. a facemask penalty is called, but upon video review, it’s determined that the facemask was never actually grabbed).
- Artificial intelligence and lasers will be used to determine the remaining yardage for a first down. The officials are still responsible for spotting the football just like they always have, but technology will now do the job of the chain gang and they will no longer have to run in from the sidelines for a first down measurement. Once the official places the ball down, lasers will determine if the offense reached the first down line and/or how far away they are from reaching that mark.
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WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the moneylines, point spreads, totals and betting percentages for all of the Chicago Bears games from their release in May all the way through Week 1 in September. Find free NFL picks from season win total bets through Super Bowl futures on our free picks pages.
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