With the Chicago Bears' 2026 offseason appearing to be in the books, attention will start to turn to the potential positional battles upcoming. There is a clear excitement and optimism around a team that feels it is just scratching the surface of something special. A lot of this is due to the continued outlook and impact of the culture Ben Johnson has installed.
Still, there is no getting around the upcoming difficult decisions that are going to be made. Setting up for entertaining battles that fans will follow throughout the summer and into the preseason. Starting with a young pass catcher, who already might have his eye on a bigger role than expected.
Kalif Raymond vs. Zavion Thomas
Raymond was reunited with Ben Johnson in the 2026 offseason and, heading into the draft, appeared to have little notable competition. This changed the moment Thomas was selected, with the coaching staff making their excitement around the pass catcher clear and setting up a surprise battle. While Raymond remains the favorite, the receiver is a proven commodity, while Thomas has the advantage of presenting unknown upside.
It wouldn't be shocking to see the Bears relegate Raymond into a backup role and put the rookie into the starting lineup. This will be determined over the next few months as the duo fights for the one remaining starting slot behind Luther Burden and Rome Odunze.
Case Keenum vs. Miller Moss
It was a year ago that Chicago talked Keenum out of retirement and brought the veteran in as a mentor to Caleb Williams. While Keenum's value as a coaching source is beyond clear, there is no certainty that the aging veteran remains an ideal backup option. Undrafted rookie Miller Moss is a wildcard the franchise brought in to push its current depth chart.
While Keenum is likely to remain with the team in either a coaching or playing role, it will be entertaining to watch if Moss can seize the opportunity. There is also smoke around the idea of a Tyson Bagent trade, making the quarterback depth chart battle extremely interesting throughout the summer.
Logan Jones vs. Garrett Bradbury
This is unquestionably the fight that all Chicago fans have circled heading into OTAs and throughout camp and the preseason. Bradbury is coming off a great season with New England and appeared to be providing clear offensive line stability before the surprise draft decision of Jones. Now, the veteran is being forced to fight for his role while the Bears look at a player they believe can be an answer for years to come.
It will be entertaining to watch how long Bradbury can hold off the young talent and who is ultimately the starting center to begin the 2026 season. No position battle is expected to be more impactful or clearly as exciting as this duo.
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