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ESPN: Chicago Bears come out on top in 2025 NFC North offseason

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 12:07 PM ET

It's been a fantastic 2025 NFL offseason for the Chicago Bears. Ranging from the hiring of Ben Johnson as head coach to the rebuilt offensive line in front of quarterback Caleb Williams, the moves that general manager Ryan Poles has made have created a playoff-worthy buzz for the upcoming season.

But just how good was the Bears' offseason? According to a new breakdown of the NFC North by ESPN, three of their four NFC North reporters picked Chicago as the team that made the best moves in the division.

Even ESPN's Green Bay Packers reporter Rob Demovsky agrees.

"It has to be the Bears, but then again, it feels like they've won offseasons before and it hasn't meant much," Demovsky wrote. "But not only did the Bears land the hottest coaching candidate on the market, they did so while weakening a division rival by stripping the Lions of their hot-shot offensive coordinator."

Demovsky wasn't alone. Detroit Lions reporter Eric Woodyard picked the Bears, too.

"Chicago has added one of the league's most creative minds in Johnson," Woodyard wrote. "He knows his stuff, and players will respect that right away. Johnson should be able to get the best out of Williams, as he did to help fuel the resurgence of Goff's career. Chicago also surrounded Williams with talent across the board, which should help them take a massive leap in 2025."

Yep. Packers and Lions writers praising the Bears. Oh my.

The Chicago Bears experienced one of the worst seasons in franchise history in 2024, a season that saw their head coach fired during the season for the first time in the team's history.

Even during a year in which Williams enjoyed a promising rookie season, his performance was overshadowed by the team's dysfunction and Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders' rookie signal caller, going scorched earth on the NFL.

So, yeah, it's no surprise the Bears underwent sweeping changes once the calendar flipped to 2025. Johnson is the headliner; his hiring changed everything. Chicago, for the first time in a really long time, is finally being taken seriously.

Even by division rivals.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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