July 24, 2026, 11:39 a.m. CT
The Chicago Bears have a lot of young talent on the roster, especially on offense with head Coach Ben Johnson, which bodes well for their future success. Quarterback Caleb Williams, tight end Colston Loveland, right tackle Darnell Wright and wide receiver Rome Odunze are just a few of those young stars in the making.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz ranked all NFL teams by their players under 25, and the Bears landed at No. 3 on the list behind only the New England Patriots (OT Will Campbell, CB Christian Gonzalez, and QB Drake Maye) and the Houston Texans (EDGE Will Anderson Jr., OT Aireontae Ersery, and QB CJ Strout). It’s a subjective list, but these three all have great cases.
Could the Bears have been ranked first? Absolutely. Williams already shown signs of being a top-10 quarterback, Loveland could be an elite tight end, and Odunze still has the ceiling of being a top-flight receiver.
There are also other under-25 players like receiver Luther Burden III, running back Kyle Monangai, tight end Sam Roush, receiver Zavion Thomas, defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and safety Dillon Thieneman looking to make an impact. Some will more than others. Even tackle Ozzy Trapilo, who will miss most of the 2026 season as he recovers from an injury, has the potential to be an impact player down the line.
If the Bears are going to end their longstanding Super Bowl drought, these young players are going to have to live up to their expectations. The premier ones highlighted (Williams, Loveland, and Odunze) must be key contributors, especially Williams, and they are already seeing signs of it.
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Looking back at 2025, it is hard to imagine Chicago winning the division and a playoff game without their young players, led by their young head coach. As those guys start to enter their prime, the Bears will elevate into true Super Bowl contenders, pending health.
The Patriots were just in the Super Bowl, so their ranking makes sense, but the Bears, Texans, and the teams that follow them on the list, are going to keep the NFL’s arrow pointing up for a long time.
The next closest NFC North team on this list is the Minnesota Vikings at No. 13, followed by the Detroit Lions at No. 23, and rounded out by the Green Bay Packers at No. 30. There is a window open for Chicago to run the division for years to come.
