The Chicago Bears lost one of the most productive linebackers on the team this offseason. Letting Tremaine Edmunds walk was a tough but necessary move for bookkeeping purposes. There were also on-the-field concerns with Edmunds that had to be considered, as he was a liability in pass coverage during the 2025 campaign.
That's why they turned back to a familiar face. The Bears brought back Jack Sanborn after a year in Arlington, giving him a one-year, $1.2 million contract to return to the Windy City. Unfortunately, that move may backfire sooner rather than later.
Jack Sanborn's Bears Return Likely Won't End Well
Sanborn followed former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus to the Dallas Cowboys, who was their defensive coordinator last season. He looked like a bargain deal at the time, given that he had been surprisingly productive in Chicago, but that wasn't the case at all.
Sanborn dealt with a concussion and a groin injury early in the season, limiting him to the sidelines more often than not. He was placed on the injured reserve in November and remained there until his time in Dallas concluded.
Even when he did play, he didn't do much to help his case. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall 56.3 grade, but he's not ranked because he didn't even play enough snaps to be eligible. His pass-rush grade (55.0), run-defense grade (54.7), and coverage grade (58.6) paint a similar picture.
Despite making six appearances and starting five games, Sanborn only logged 23 tackles with one tackle for loss and one pass defensed. Even so, he missed six tackles and gave up 16 completions on 18 targets (88.9 percent catch rate) for 193 yards, allowing 12.1 yards per reception and 105 yards after the catch. Per Football Reference, opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of 113 when targeting him.
Even if Sanborn was good in Chicago, he's not going to play for the same defensive coordinator or the same scheme. Dennis Allen isn't Matt Eberflus, and his seat might be a bit lukewarm after giving up the fifth-most total yards per game last season.
Hopefully, Sanborn proves the doubters wrong. At this time, though, a wait-and-see approach may be the best to take when assessing what, if anything, he will provide Chicago in 2026.