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A former Chicago Bears player may be getting interest from a team that the Bears wouldn’t want him to end up.
The Chicago Bears have one of the strongest-minded offensive coaches in the NFL with Ben Johnson, and, of course, he came to them from the Detroit Lions. So, in addition to these two teams having a rivalry for both being in the NFC North, they also are competitive because Johnson is going up against his old boss, Dan Campbell.
Despite Chicago’s fantastic 2025-26 season, which landed them No. 1 in the NFC North, they lost to the Lions twice during the regular season. So, Johnson is focused on not only getting the Bears to the Super Bowl for the 2026-27 season but also beating Campbell and Detroit.
Now, a former Chicago Bears player has surfaced as a possible new addition for the Detroit Lions, and that could be a setback for Chicago. If anything, it wouldn’t be great for that player to leak information that he learned while being coached last year with the Bears.
Ex-Chicago Bears Player May End Up With NFC North Rival
Jaleel Grandberry has a feature out on Thursday, March 19, in SideLion Report about a possible free agent who was last with the Bears going to the Lions. In the piece, he makes the case that the Lions should consider bringing on edge defender Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who is now available, after the Bears let him walk in free agency.
Tryon-Shoyinka started his NFL career as a 2021 first-round pick from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the Buccaneers, he started in six of the 17 games he played in as a rookie and recorded four sacks as a rookie, according to NFL research. From there, he went to the Browns and then the Bears.
“While he isn’t a signing that will move the needle, Tryon-Shoyinka will only turn 27 in April, and he has flashed the ability to be productive in this league,” Grandberry states in the feature.
“The Lions don’t have to sign him with the expectation that he’ll be a key member of the defense, but considering the unit’s lack of depth at the edge position, it’s worth seeing what Tryon-Shoyinka can add to unit,” he continues. “he Lions recently added veteran edge defender D.J. Wonnum, but there is still room for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka as well.”
It’s Never Good to See a Former Player With a Division Rival
Not that this would be a total horrible thing for the Bears, but it’s never good to have a player who’s freshly out of one franchise end up with a rival. If it happens, expect it to bring more drama to the Campbell and Johnson rivalry.
In other news, in super early NFL power rankings for the 2026-27 season, ESPN has the Bears at No. 11. The Lions are No. 7.
“This is one of the quieter off seasons for the Bears in recent history,” reporter Courtney Cronin states in the piece. “Sure, they’ll have to find a new assistant general manager, offensive coordinator and running backs coach, but they don’t have to make franchise-altering moves ahead of next season.”
She adds, “The Bears have the right coach-quarterback pairing with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams. They established a winning culture that they can build off next season.”
Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter for Heavy Sports covering the NFL, NBA and college football. Anne Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson
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