The Chicago Bears enter the 2025 league year with an abundance of resources, a promising quarterback entering Year 2 and a head coach whose approval rating in town is off the charts.

General manager Ryan Poles’ record in three seasons is 15-36 with one fired head coach, but he got another swing at that, and can attack the offseason and build a contender for 2025 alongside Ben Johnson.

The Bears went 5-12 last season, which included mystifying losses, a franchise-record losing streak and a quarterback who was sacked way too often. However, the roster is not that far away from taking a big jump in Johnson’s first season. The Bears began the offseason with plenty of salary-cap space and three picks in the top 41 selections of April’s draft. Caleb Williams is going to have several new faces in the huddle with him, to go along with a new coach in his ear calling plays.

Poles kicked things off with two trades for starting guards, not waiting until free agency to begin fortifying the group tasked with protecting Williams.

This post will be updated as roster moves are made during free agency, so check back often.

Bears additions

Still available (from The Athletic’s Top 150 list)

March 24: The Bears signed cornerback Nick McCloud to a one-year contract. He’s played in 48 games with 16 starts in his career, a majority of that time spent with the Giants. McCloud had one career pick and 10 passes defensed, but he’s mainly been a special teamer. Last season, he played 63 percent of the Giants’ special teams snaps before signing with the 49ers, where he played 46 percent of special teams snaps. McCloud could take the place of Jaylon Jones, who’s been a backup corner and gunner the past three seasons. Jones signed with the Cardinals.

G Teven Jenkins heads to Cleveland

March 20: Guard Teven Jenkins signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns. Jenkins was rated as the 33rd-best free agent this year in The Athletic’s top 150. A reunion with the Bears was always unlikely. Jenkins essentially said as much during locker-room cleanout day at Halas Hall in January. The Bears later traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. Former GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy drafted Jenkins with the 39th pick in the 2021 draft. When healthy, Jenkins played like an intimidating mauler at guard, one who impressed Poles. However, durability has always remained a concern for Jenkins, who made 38 starts over four seasons.

Bears add returner Devin Duvernay

March 19: Duvernay, a two-time Pro Bowler as a return man, signed a one-year deal with the Bears. He went to the 2021 and 2022 Pro Bowls as a member of the Ravens. He led the league in 2021 averaging 13.8 yards per punt return. He had a kickoff return score in both 2020 and 2022. Duvernay’s best year as a receiver came in 2022 when he had 37 catches for 407 yards and three touchdowns in 13 starts. But he had only four catches the next year, and last season, in Jacksonville, He had 11 receptions for 79 yards. The Bears need depth in the receivers room, and Duvernay could certainly win the returner job.

RB Travis Homer returns

March 19: A key special teamer the past two seasons, Homer re-signed to a one-year contract. He played on 63 percent of special teams snaps last season, while also filling in at times as a third-down back. In 2023, while appearing in 16 games, he was on the field for 61 percent of special teams snaps. Homer joins Ogbongbemiga and Moore as key special teams contributors who are returning for the 2025 season.

Bears brink back C Doug Kramer

March 18: The Bears re-signed Kramer to a one-year deal. Kramer, a local product from Hinsdale Central High School and the University of Illinois, was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Kramer made headlines last season for his play at fullback. That included blocking for touchdown runs and first downs for the Bears’ running backs, but he also fumbled on the goal line against the Washington Commanders. Kramer has appeared in 18 games for the Bears.

Sanborn leaves for Cowboys, Flus

March 14: Linebacker Jack Sanborn signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys. In Dallas, he reunites with former Bears coach Matt Eberflus, who is now the team’s defensive coordinator. The Bears surprisingly didn’t tender Sanborn a contract this offseason. He was a restricted free agent. Sanborn, though, has a better chance to play more in Dallas. He was a starter for the Bears but only in their base defense. Sanborn had a knack for making plays in his limited snaps, recording 164 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4 ½ sacks, five pass breakups and an interception in 48 games over three seasons. Sanborn, who went undrafted out of Wisconsin in 2022, was also a fixture on special teams.

Bears bring back veteran TE

March 13: The Bears re-signed tight end Stephen Carlson, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. Carlson, 28, broke his collarbone and was placed on injured reserve during last season on Sept. 28. He suffered the injury in practice and not long after being promoted from the practice squad. Carlson appeared in one game in 2023 for the Bears.

Defensive tackle leaves for Jets

March 13: The Jets signed defensive tackle Byron Cowart, per the NFL’s transaction wire. Cowart appeared in 15 games last season for the Bears, making seven starts. He set new career highs with 2 1/2 sacks, four QB hits and five tackles for loss. The New England Patriots drafted Cowart in the fifth round in 2019. He also had short stints with the Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins.

Bears add receiver

March 13: Former Commanders, Eagles and Falcons wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus agreed to a one-year deal with the Bears. He’s coming off a career year with Washington, when he had 45 catches for 506 yards and three touchdowns, catching a career-best 70.3 percent of the passes thrown his way. Zaccheaus also has punt-return experience. The Bears likely aren’t done at receiver, but Zaccheaus, who’s only 27, should be a nice complement to DJ Moore and Rome Odunze with his ability to play out of the slot, where 21 of his catches lats season came. There’s still room for a bigger-bodied wideout.

DE heads to Commanders

March 13: Jacob Martin, who spent one year with the Bears as a rotational edge rusher, agreed to a one-year deal with Washington worth up to $3 million per ESPN and NFL Network. Martin was in line to be the No. 3 defensive end last year before an injury kept him out of most of training camp and the start of the season. He played in 11 games and finished with three sacks and six QB hits. Newcomer Dayo Odeyingbo can be the starter opposite Montez Sweat, and the Bears do have other options at defensive end, but still have room to add.

DT Chris Williams gets RFA tender

March 12: Defensive tackle Chris Williams received the right-of-first-refusal tender from the Bears as a restricted free agent. That’s worth $3.26 million for the 2025 season, though none of it is guaranteed. A team could sign Williams to an offer sheet if they want and not have to give up any draft pick compensation, but that’s a pretty good salary for Williams, who was acquired last August via trade from Cleveland. Williams set career-high marks in games played (17), tackles (23), sacks (three) and QB hits (seven). He should be able to provide depth on the interior as a rotational pass rusher.

C Coleman Shelton returns to L.A.

March 11: Coleman Shelton, last year’s starting center, agreed on a two-year deal with the Rams, per a league source. Shelton, who competed with Ryan Bates throughout the spring after signing a one-year deal, started every game at center and missed only 13 snaps all season. When the Bears signed Drew Dalman, they got their new starting center, though they could’ve looked at Shelton as a backup option. They do still have Bates under contract, along with Ricky Stromberg but may also look to the draft for another backup on the interior.

Long snapper is back

March 11: The Bears are re-signing Scott Daly to a one-year deal, NFL Network first reported. Daly stepped in last year as the team’s long snapper after Patrick Scales suffered a back injury. Daly played in all 17 games, and he also spent the 2021-23 seasons in Detroit, overlapping with Johnson. This marks the end of Scales’ time with the Bears. He had been the longest-tenured player, first joining the team in 2015.

Swing tackle Larry Borom off to Miami

March 10: Borom agreed to a deal with the Dolphins, per NFL Network, after four seasons with the Bears. He started 27 games since 2021, when he was Ryan Pace’s fifth-round pick. Borom has been a backup at both tackle spots and even has stepped in at guard. It seemed his time in Chicago would come to an end with a new regime and after several injuries, but he played out his rookie contract. Now he gets a fresh start along with another former Bears draft pick, James Daniels, who also agreed to a deal with the Dolphins.

S Tarvarius Moore returning

March 10: The Bears announced that they signed Moore to a one-year contract extension. Moore appeared in 11 games last season, playing 185 snaps on special teams. He made seven tackles. Moore was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round in 2018.

DE Darrell Taylor heads to Houston

March 10: Taylor, the Bears’ No. 3 defensive end from 2024, agreed to a one-year contract with the Texans, according to NFL Network. Poles acquired Taylor via trade from Seattle at the end of the preseason, and he got off to quite the start with two sacks in Week 1, but he had only one other sack the rest of the season. Taylor would’ve returned only as a rotational edge rusher. Right now, that’s Austin Booker, but the Bears could keep adding at defensive end.

Grady Jarrett big addition on defensive line

March 10: The Bears agreed to terms with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, according to a league source, reportedly on a three-year, $43.5 million contract. The team acted fast to lock in Jarrett. The Falcons released Jarrett, a two-time Pro Bowler, on Monday before the negotiation window opened. Hours later, the news broke that the Bears were adding Jarrett. He will be expected to improve the Bears’ defensive line, especially their interior pass rush. Jarrett spent 10 years with the Falcons. His best season came in 2019 when he had a career-best 7 1/2 sacks and earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors.

Bears get their edge rusher: Dayo Odeyingbo

March 10: After bulking up the offensive line, the Bears got their high-priced edge rusher in Odeyingbo, 25, who is coming off a three-sack, 17-QB hit season for the Colts. Those 17 QB hits would’ve ranked second on the 2024 Bears behind Gervon Dexter. Odeyingbo has the size we know defensive coordinator Dennis Allen prefers — 6-foot-6, 286 pounds. With his reported contract ($16 million per year), Odeyingbo slots in as the starter opposite Montez Sweat. He also had 17 QB hits and a career-high eight sacks in 2023. Odeyingbo hasn’t missed a game in the past three seasons and has two forced fumbles in each of the past two seasons. This should also help the Bears not feel pressed to take an edge rusher in the first round. Next up? Defensive tackle.

Bears land Falcons center Drew Dalman

March 10: The Bears agreed to terms on a three-year, $42 million deal with Dalman as the team continued its overhaul of the offensive line, per sources. Dalman will play between new guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, who were acquired last week in trades. Dalman was one of the top free agents despite playing in only nine games last season because of an ankle injury. So there is some risk involved. But he’s an experienced center who should help quarterback Caleb Williams.

Bears re-sign DB Josh Blackwell

March 6: Set to be a restricted free agent, Blackwell returns to the Bears on a two-year deal worth up to $6 million, a league source confirmed. That’s a nice contract to reward the team’s top special teamer. Blackwell’s punt-return touchdown in Week 18 against the Packers earned him special teams player of the week honors. He’s been a productive gunner since joining the team in 2022 off waivers and has stepped in nicely as a backup slot corner when needed.

Bears keep LB Amen Ogbongbemiga

March 6: Another special teams move, Ogbongbemiga was one of the core players for Richard Hightower’s unit in his first season with Chicago. He also signed a two-year deal, per NFL Network. He had five special teams tackles and six assists, plus a sack on defense.

Adding a No. 2 TE in Durham Smythe

March 6: Johnson’s Lions were third in the NFL in the percentage of plays run in 12 personnel (two tight ends). Smythe, who played at Notre Dame in 2017 with Cole Kmet, reunites with his former college teammate to complement him in Chicago, NFL Network reported. He also was a rookie with the Dolphins in 2018 when Johnson was their wide receivers coach.

Joe Thuney brings significant upgrade to line

March 5: The Bears haven’t had an offensive lineman named first-team All-Pro since 2006. Enter Thuney, who’s done it two years in a row with the Chiefs. He comes to Chicago with four Super Bowl rings, experience with two of the greatest quarterbacks and head coaches to ever do it and brings leadership the line needs.

Jonah Jackson, Ben Johnson reunion

March 4: Poles’ first major move of the offseason was to send a sixth-round pick to the Rams to take a chance with Jackson, who is set to make $17.5 million this season after playing in only four games in 2024. Jackson overlapped with Johnson in Detroit, where he made a Pro Bowl in 2021, so there’s trust in Johnson for this move to happen.