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Breakout players the Bears will be relying on to turn the corner if Chicago wants to reach the playoffs in Year 1 under Ben Johnson

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Kole Noble | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 10:53 AM ET

The Chicago Bears have some lofty expectations going into the first season under head coach Ben Johnson.

Once again the Bears are offseason champs after all the additions this team made over the last few months, but the only thing that matters is how the results look on the field, something the team has constantly struggled to show.

If this team really wants to prove they can contend for a playoff spot in 2025, the Bears will need breakout performances out of these four players, outside of quarterback Caleb Williams

WR Rome Odunze

The spotlight in the passing game is on Rome Odunze show improvements in 2025. After the Bears let Keenan Allen out of the door, the window opened up for Odunze to step up in this offense behind DJ Moore.

The usage for the 2024 first-round pick was frustrating last season. With an innovative play-caller, the Bears will alter how Odunze is utilized and hopefully create more opportunities for him to make an impact.

The other big thing with Odunze is ironing out his connection with his quarterback. Far too often, Williams and Odunze couldn't get on the same page in terms of routes and landing spots. I have full faith in those two figuring things out in Year 2.

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DE Dayo Odeyingbo

This one is easy to point out simply because the Bears paid high dollar for this breakout to happen in Chicago.

When Dayo Odeyingbo signed with the Bears on a 3-year, $48 million contract in free agency, he showed he wanted to be a part of something special and the Bears showed they believe Odeyingbo can be something special in Dennis Allen's scheme.

With the Indianapolis Colts, Odeyingbo's best season came in 2023 when he recorded 8.0 sacks. Indy rewarded him in 2024 by making him a starter for 14 of the 17 games but he only posted 3.0 sacks. In 2025, Odeyingbo will be a main starter opposite Montez Sweat and the Bears will be counting on him to create consistent pressure.

RG Jonah Jackson

When the Bears traded for Jonah Jackson with the Los Angeles Rams, the deal made perfect sense for both sides but the move was quickly overlooked after it was official.

Jackson played his first four seasons with the Detroit Lions before cashing in on a really good contract in free agency with the Rams. He was expected to change positions and start at center before suffering a shoulder injury and eventually getting benched after returning.

As a guard, Jackson was once a Pro Bowl player back in 2021 with the Lions. His new head coach, and former offensive coordinator, believes Jackson can reach that level of play once again.

"I feel like my best years were with Ben... I felt like I was able to strive in that system."

Jonah Jackson is excited to be reunited with Ben Johnson: pic.twitter.com/oy30bpL1UJ
— Bears on CHSN (@CHSN_Bears) March 12, 2025

CB Tyrique Stevenson

The career for Tyrique Stevenson in the NFL has been up and down through two seasons, and now he's going into a critical third season in a new scheme.

The Bears will be playing a lot more press-man at the cornerback spot and while it aligns with Stevenson's strengths as a player, the scheme will challenge his consistency and reliability in coverage.

Over the past two seasons, the outside cornerback spot opposite Jaylon Johnson has received a lot of attention from opposing offenses. Dennis Allen can't afford to let that position become a consistent area to worry about, but luckily the team has some insurance if Stevenson can't prove to be a reliable player.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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