3 Departures That Could Leave a Major Void for the Bears in 2026

After what was a tough season for the Bears defense, free agent departures only serve to set the unit back. Even with the gains made in mind, there is going to be plenty of work that needs to be done in order to make up for such losses.

The Chicago Bears may have made some impactful additions throughout the first two weeks of free agency, including that of wide receiver Kalif Raymond. But the losses taken over that same time frame might very well be equally, if not more impactful, in a negative context.

Below, I discuss three of the biggest blows that the Bears' roster took during the start of the 2026 offseason.

DJ Moore (WR)

In 2025, DJ Moore was the Bears' top wide receiver in receiving yards, though his 682 yards were eclipsed by tight end Colston Loveland's 713 yards gained. Moore was also tied with Loveland and sophomore receiver Rome Odunze for touchdowns, with all three players recording six scores apiece. But even with the combined 18 touchdowns in mind, the Bears were still just 10th in the NFL in receiving touchdowns, finishing a good 18 scores off the Los Angeles Rams in that category.

In what was seemingly an effort to play to their shallow-but-talented offensive depth, the Bears traded Moore and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick to the Buffalo Bills for a 2026 second-round selection.

The good news for Chicago is that they cleared well over $15 million off their salary cap. While giving players like wide receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Cole Kmet more of the spotlight. The bad news is twofold: not only did the Bears send one of their best receivers to a fellow playoff contender, but they now have just six wide receivers on the active roster. Only three of those receivers recorded stats during the 2025 season.

Chicago may end up rectifying the loss of Moore by spending a draft pick on a receiver or by building around what they have. Nevertheless, the trade could very well come back to bite the team should the offense falter in any form during the 2026 season.

Nahshon Wright (CB)

One of the two key defensive contributors lost in free agency, Nahshon Wright, was one of the biggest reasons that Chicago was able to put together a successful 2025 season. His defensive contributions during his one-year stint with the Bears include a 74-yard pick-six in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, a crucial fumble recovery against the Washington Commanders, and a strong effort against the Philadelphia Eagles and their infamous "Tush Push."

Wright was seen as one of the Bears' most valuable players in their turnover-driven defense. He logged a total of five interceptions and three fumble recoveries, which all contributed to the Bears' league-leading +22 turnover ratio, 23 interceptions, and 33 total turnovers.

His departure to the New York Jets will see the Bears lose a key part of their turnover machine and their ability to force turnovers. The addition of defenders like Coby Bryant may inject Super Bowl experience into this Bears roster, but Wright is the exact kind of player that brings the numbers and the impact that matters for a defense. It will be interesting to see how the Bears fill the hole that he leaves, but that is going to be a tough job.

Kevin Byard (FS)

Like Wright, Kevin Byard was one of the more impactful pieces for Chicago's defence during the 2025 season. He led the Bears in interceptions with seven to his name, including one in the team's signature win over the Eagles on Black Friday. Byard also recorded four tackles for losses and eight passes defended.

The Bears will be losing another key part of their turnover machine with the departure of Byard to the New England Patriots. That said, Byard's exit doesn't sting as much as that of Wright. One could say that losing two additional interceptions hurts more than losing a couple of fumble recoveries, a part of Byard's game that generally wasn't present on the stat sheet during his season. But losing Wright serves as a detraction from all facets of the Bears' defensive scheme, something that the loss of Byard can be seen to avoid.

Either way, the departure of Byard further emphasizes the need for Chicago to address the defense through their offseason business. Any defensive move made by the Bears now needs to at least fill 12 total interceptions to make up for the loss of Wright and Byard.