With all the fun the Bears and their fans have had in 2025, it's easy to forget some of the players who were prominent in 2024 but have fallen out of the spotlight since then. Then again, that tends to happen when two seasons are night and day compared to each other.
Jonathan Owens is one of those players. When he arrived from the Green Bay Packers ahead of the 2024 season, he was featured prominently on "Hard Knocks" and provided modest value on the field, making 49 total tackles, one tackle for loss, an interception, two pass defenses and a fumble in 17 games.
This season has been quite different for Owens. There were concerns during this year's training camp that he would be playing his final season in Chicago. With only two games left in the regular season, nothing has happened to ease those concerns, leading to a great chance Owens won't be on the team by next Christmas.
Jonathan Owens Days With Bears Are Likely Numbered Entering Christmas
Although Owens is on track to play every game for the fourth consecutive season, this is the first time during that stretch that he has not made one start. While that easily can be chalked up to the depth the Bears have at safety, it also can be concerning for a player who will be 31 next season and is on a team with young if not superior talent at almost every position.
Owens' numbers aren't any better. He has only 19 tackles, which puts him well on pace for the lowest total he's had since his games streak began as a member of the Houston Texans in 2022. He also has had no more than three tackles in any game since the Bears' win over the Washington Commanders on Oct. 13.
All of this points to the hard truth that Owens' days in Chicago are numbered. He was a great novelty addition at a time when the Bears weren't so good, and he even justified that signing with some stellar play. But things have changed drastically for the Bears in a year's time, and they dictate that there isn't a future for Owens beyond this season.
Owens is about to become an unrestricted free agent. Some team will take a chance on him if for no reason than he's able to stay on the field, which is very important in a sport where injuries are commonplace. But that chance won't come with the Bears, who undoubtedly will be focused on adding pieces that can maintain the success they've had this season.