Chicago Bears surge up NFL Power Rankings after dominating 2025 free agency

The Chicago Bears' successful 2025 free agency period has them on the rise in the latest NFL Power Rankings.

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The Chicago Bears ended the 2024 season with a disappointing 5-12 record and a last place finish in the NFC North.

Despite all of the hype and excitement around quarterback Caleb Williams and what was expected to be a potential playoff team, the Bears eventually became the most dysfunctional organization in the NFL, which led to the first time the team ever fired its head coach during the season.

Chicago ranked near the bottom of the league in just about every NFL Power Ranking, including Pro Football Focus, which had the Bears 24th when the final whistle of the season blew.

But that's all changed now. After a massive 2025 free agency cycle that's welcomed Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, Drew Dalman, Grady Jarrett, and Dayo ODeyingbo as the big-ticket signings (and trades) to the roster, confidence in the Bears is on the rise.

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Pro Football Focus published their updated post-free agency 2025 NFL Power Rankings recently, and the Bears jumped nearly 10 spots after their big moves.

Chicago ranks 15th.

"After finishing 2024 as the No. 24 team in these rankings, the Bears made the biggest leap of any team this offseason," PFF's Mason Cameron wrote. "General manager Ryan Poles aggressively addressed Chicago’s interior offensive line, trading for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson while also signing Drew Dalman.

"That said, the Bears are no strangers to “winning the offseason,” but translating that to on-field success has been a challenge. With Ben Johnson now at the helm, Chicago finally has the offensive mind to help this team take the next step."

Johnson is the biggest X-factor for the Chicago Bears in 2025, and he's also the biggest reason why this year's offseason hope is different.

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Sure, the Bears are perennial offseason winners. But when the regular season ends, Chicago is usually a team with a top-10 pick. With coaches like Matt Eberflus and Matt Nagy, poor results could be expected.

Johnson isn't Eberflus or Nagy. He was the most highly sought-after coaching candidate in many years, and he brings the kind of work ethic, discipline, and organizational standards that were lacking in past regimes.

Jumping from No. 24 to No. 15 in PFF's Power Rankings is a nod to GM Ryan Poles and the work he's done so far, which will continue in April with the 2025 NFL Draft. He's absolutely improved the roster, and now it'll be up to Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams, and the rest of this team's stars to keep climbing power rankings until the Bears are a perennial playoff contender.

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