The Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers had one of the NFL’s most entertaining rivalries last season. All three games between the two divisional foes were decided by a possession, with two having the ultimate score come in overtime.
The margin of error was so thin that both teams have spent their offseasons trying to address the flaws that were exploited in those games, and it makes the Packers’ recent moves at wide receiver something that should pique the interest of the Bears.
The latest domino to fall in Green Bay came when the Packers traded Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move clears up space for Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden to be the Packers’ top three receivers heading into next season. But it also provides an avenue where the Bears could get the advantage needed to repeat as NFC North champions next season.
Bears Should Love Packers’ Risky WR Situation Heading into 2026
The Packers’ wide receiver situation is one worth monitoring closely in Chicago. While all three receivers have the talent to pace Matt LaFleur’s offense, they also have significant flaws that could hold them back with injuries or ill-fated investments.
The most immediate situation is Watson’s next contract. The Packers wisely signed Watson to a one-year contract extension while he was rehabbing from a torn ACL last summer. While he will be under team control on an $11.5 million deal for 2026, his long-term cost shot up thanks to some of the high-priced deals that were given out to receivers this spring.
There is also risk in an extension, as Watson has missed 20 games due to injury in his career, which could give the Packers’ buyer’s remorse if they give him something in the neighborhood of the four-year, $114 million contract Alec Pierce signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
Watson’s contract is just one of the storylines happening in Green Bay. Golden was hyped up after becoming Green Bay’s first receiver taken in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002. While trading Wicks is an endorsement of Golden, he played the second-highest amount of snaps (310) for the Packers last season, averaging 1.53 yards per route run according to Pro Football Focus, meaning he may not make the most of the opportunity.
Then there’s Reed, who is entering the final year of his contract. While Reed has been productive through his three years with the Packers, an injury-plagued 2025 season that featured a foot injury and a broken collarbone sank his value, and he could be too rich for the Packers to keep if he bounces back with a big year.
With each of these receivers, there is a significant amount of risk, and it could become greater if one underperforms or gets injured. And it also helps that Romeo Doubs also left in free agency to sign a four-year, $68 million contract with the New England Patriots.
This should be music to the Bears’ ears, however, especially considering the turnover they’ve had in the secondary. Both of Chicago’s starting safeties, Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, left in free agency. While the Bears signed Coby Bryant in free agency to fill one of the roles, they will likely take a rookie in the upcoming draft to fill the other, robbing them of vital experience on the back end.
Nahshon Wright’s departure is also a blow, despite his coverage struggles. Chicago could be stuck leaning on Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon coming off injury-plagued seasons. Tyrique Stevenson should also return, but he’s on thin ice after being benched last season and could be replaced either in the draft or by an up-and-comer, including Zah Frazier or Terell Smith.
Dennis Allen’s knack for helping Chicago produce turnovers should fill some of the margins. But watching the Packers shuffle around their wide receiver group could also be part of that process. With Green Bay potentially making short and long-term mistakes, the Bears could wind up with an advantage through the air, and it could help them get the best of the Packers again this fall.