Chicago Bears Team Preview: Ultimate Madden NFL 27 Guide

Chicago Bears Team Preview: Who These Bears Really Are

It’s Kobra here, and this Chicago Bears Team Preview starts with a roster that finally stopped being a rebuild. Eleven wins. An 85 offense. A quarterback wearing an X-Factor icon instead of a question mark. For a franchise that spent years handing out apologies instead of touchdowns, that is a real turn. Ben Johnson took a young passer and wrapped him in the one thing Chicago never gave its quarterbacks — a line that can move people off the ball.

What makes this Bears team guide different from the usual overall-rating rundown is where the value hides. The headline number is 83, which sounds ordinary. It isn’t. A 96 overall left guard changes the math on every inside run and every interior stunt you face. Read this preview as a plan for how to play them, not a scouting sheet. I have been breaking down Madden rosters at MaddenGuides.com since 2001, including two years writing the official EA Sports Madden NFL Strategy Guides, and the thing I always hunt for is the mismatch the ratings screen buries.

Bears Team Info and League Rankings

2025 Record

2026 NFL Ranking

Franchise Info

Two numbers fight each other here. Passing 7th and Coverage 9th say this is a modern, competitive roster. Team Speed 25th says you are not winning many footraces. That combination points you toward possession routes and inside leverage rather than nine-route go-balls, and it is the tension every section below keeps circling back to.

Coaching Staff

Dennis Allen running the defense matters more than most people register. His 4-3 install is built to rush four and drop seven, which is exactly the structure that lets Jaylon Johnson play press without a safety babysitting him.

Bears Coaching DNA in Madden NFL 27

Okay, this part is key. The scheme fit numbers tell you where the front office still has work to do. Offense sits at 63 percent fit for Multiple Power Run. Defense sits at 93 percent for the Base 4-3. One side of this roster was built on purpose. The other is being asked to run a scheme it is only partly stocked for.

Scheme

• Offense — Multiple Power Run, 63% scheme fit. Pulling linemen and lead blockers grind through fronts, and a Field General QB converts third and short.
• Defense — Base 4-3, 93% scheme fit. Four down linemen, three linebackers, seven bodies available to drop.

Formations

• Offense — Singleback: Ace Double Wing, Bunch X Nasty, Deuce Close, East Tight, Tight Doubles, Tight Y Off Flex, U Off Stack, U Off Trips, Wing Close, Wing Pair Heavy, Wing Tight Left. I Form: Wing, Y Off Close. Strong I: H Wing. Weak: Close. Pistol: Bunch TE, Deuce Close. Gun: Bunch Open TE, Bunch Spread, Bunch X Nasty, Deuce Close, Double Stack, Doubles HB Wk, Empty Base Trio, Empty Chips Nasty, Empty Chips Quads, Normal Y Off Close, Slot Right, Spread, Tight Open, Tight Y Off Wk, Trips, Trips HB Wk, Trips TE Flex, Trips TE Offset Wk, Wing Flex Offset Wk, Wing Slot Offset, Wing Tight Nasty, Y Off Trio Wk, Y Off Trips, Y Off Trips Wk. Goal Line: Normal. Hail Mary: Hail Mary.
• Defense — 46: Bear Under. 4-3: Odd Leo, Over, Over Solid, Under. Nickel: 2-4 Dbl Mug, 2-4 Load Mug, 2-4 Odd Dbl Mug, Over, Swap Dbl Mug, Wide. 3-3-5: Penny. Dime: 2-3, 3-2 Rush. Prevent: 3 Deep. Goal Line: 5-3, 6-2, Pinch. Dollar: 3-2 Mug.

Packages

• Offense — Heavy personnel is the identity. Wing Pair Heavy and Strong I H Wing give you extra bodies at the point of attack, while the Gun Bunch and Empty Chips sets keep a passing answer live from the same playbook.
• Defense — The Nickel 2-4 Mug family is the pressure package, and Dollar 3-2 Mug is the third-and-long look with an extra defensive back on the field.

Roles

• Offense — QB Field General; HB Powerback; FB Blocking; WR Physical; TE Possession; LT, LG, C, RG and RT all Power.
• Defense — LEDG Run Stopper; REDG Power Rusher; DT Power Rusher; SAM Run Stopper; MIKE Field General; WILL Run Stopper; CB Man To Man; FS Hybrid; SS Run Support.

Tendencies

• Offense — Run first, play-action second, deep shots third. The Physical WR archetype tells you EA wants contested catches, not track meets.
• Defense — Man To Man corners plus a Hybrid free safety means Cover 1 and Cover 3 Match are the natural home coverages.

Key Changes

• Offense — Both playbooks are now CHI – B. Johnson, so the run concepts and the pass concepts share formation shells. That is what lets you disguise.
• Defense — Ability tiers read 1 Hidden, 1 X-Factor, 2 Superstars, 13 Stars and 57 Normal, with the team status listed as Playoff Hopeful.

Coaching Summary

That 63 percent offensive fit is not a bug you need to fix immediately. It reflects a roster with two Power-rated blockers who are genuinely elite and three who are just adequate. Your job is to run behind the good ones. Every pull, every counter, every lead concept should be angled toward the left guard and right tackle. Meanwhile the defense is already what Dennis Allen wants, so leave it alone and learn the 4-3 Over front. More scheme work like this lives in our Madden strategies hub.

Team Ratings

Line those bars up and the offense sits four points above the defense, 85 to 81. That gap is small on paper and large in practice. It means you should be playing to score rather than playing to hold, and it means you can lose a shootout if you treat the 81 defense like a closer. Chew clock with the run game and make the defense play with a lead. Full ratings comparisons across the league sit in our team ratings section.

Position Grade Report Card

These are EA’s own in-game position grades, pulled straight off the depth chart screen — they appear nowhere else on the web, which is why this card exists.

Position Groups

Offense

• LT — grade C+
• LG — grade A+
• C — grade C+
• RG — grade B-
• RT — grade A-
• TE — grade B
• WR1 — grade B
• HB — grade B
• QB — grade A
• FB — grade C+
• WR2 — grade B-

Defense

• FS — grade C+
• WILL — grade B
• MIKE — grade B+
• SAM — grade C
• SS — grade C+
• CB1 — grade B
• REDG — grade C
• DT1 — grade C+
• DT2 — grade B-
• LEDG — grade B
• CB2 — grade B

Left guard is the strongest graded spot on the roster at A+, and the SAM linebacker is the weakest at a flat C. That combination writes your game plan for you. Run inside left on offense, because the A+ blocker wins double teams and creates the crease. On defense, keep the SAM out of coverage — put him in the box or send him, because dropping a C-grade linebacker into a flat zone is the seam a good passer will find on third down every single time.

Team Schedule

The front half is manageable and the back half is a gauntlet. Weeks 14 through 16 send you to Miami and Buffalo before hosting Green Bay on Christmas, and the season closes with back-to-back division games. Bank wins early.

• AWAY — Week 1 (Sun, Sep 13) — Carolina Panthers — 1:00 PM ET
• HOME — Week 2 (Sun, Sep 20) — Minnesota Vikings — 1:00 PM ET
• HOME — Week 3 (Mon, Sep 28) — Philadelphia Eagles — 8:15 PM ET
• HOME — Week 4 (Sun, Oct 4) — New York Jets — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 5 (Sun, Oct 11) — Green Bay Packers — 4:25 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 6 (Sun, Oct 18) — Atlanta Falcons — 1:00 PM ET
• HOME — Week 7 (Thu, Oct 22) — New England Patriots — 8:15 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 8 (Mon, Nov 2) — Seattle Seahawks — 8:15 PM ET
• HOME — Week 9 (Sun, Nov 8) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 8:20 PM ET
• Week 10 — BYE WEEK
• HOME — Week 11 (Sun, Nov 22) — New Orleans Saints — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 12 (Thu, Nov 26) — Detroit Lions — 1:00 PM ET
• HOME — Week 13 (Sun, Dec 6) — Jacksonville Jaguars — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 14 (Sun, Dec 13) — Miami Dolphins — 1:00 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 15 (Sat, Dec 19) — Buffalo Bills — 8:20 PM ET
• HOME — Week 16 (Fri, Dec 25) — Green Bay Packers — 1:00 PM ET
• HOME — Week 17 (Sun, Jan 3) — Detroit Lions — 4:25 PM ET
• AWAY — Week 18 (TBD) — Minnesota Vikings — TBD

Player Roster

• ►Joe Thuney — LG, 96
• ►Caleb Williams — QB, 90, X-Factor
• ►Jaylon Johnson — CB, 90
• ►Darnell Wright — RT, 87
• ►Devin Bush — MIKE, 86
• ►D’Andre Swift — HB, 85
• ►Colston Loveland — TE, 84
• ►Kyler Gordon — CB, 83
• ►Montez Sweat — LEDG, 82
• ►Rome Odunze — WR, 82
• ►Grady Jarrett — DT, 81
• ►T.J. Edwards — WILL, 81
• ►Gervon Dexter Sr — DT, 79
• ►Luther Burden III — WR, 79
• ►Cairo Santos — K, 78
• ►Cole Kmet — TE, 78
• ►Jonah Jackson — RG, 78
• ►Kyle Monangai — HB, 78
• ►Coby Bryant — FS, 77
• ►Dillon Thieneman — SS, 77
• ►Garrett Bradbury — C, 76
• ►Tyrique Stevenson — CB, 76
• ►Kalif Raymond — WR, 75
• ►Tory Taylor — P, 75
• ►Cam Lewis — SS, 74
• ►Jedrick Wills Jr — LT, 74
• ►Austin Booker — LEDG, 73
• ►Braxton Jones — RT, 73
• ►Dayo Odeyingbo — REDG, 73
• ►Ozzy Trapilo — LT, 73
• ►Logan Jones — C, 72
• ►Shemar Turner — REDG, 72
• ►Zavion Thomas — WR, 72
• ►D’Marco Jackson — WILL, 71
• ►Jack Sanborn — MIKE, 71
• ►Neville Gallimore — DT, 71
• ►Roschon Johnson — HB, 71
• ►Kentavius Street — DT, 70
• ►Malik Muhammad — CB, 70
• ►Scott Miller — WR, 70
• ►Jahdae Walker — WR, 69
• ►Jaylon Jones — CB, 69
• ►Terell Smith — CB, 69
• ►Elijah Hicks — FS, 68
• ►James Lynch — DT, 68
• ►Jordan van den Berg — DT, 68
• ►Kaden Davis — WR, 68
• ►Kiran Amegadjie — RT, 68
• ►Noah Sewell — SAM, 68
• ►Ruben Hyppolite II — WILL, 68
• ►Salvon Ahmed — HB, 68
• ►Daniel Hardy — LEDG, 67
• ►Jamree Kromah — LEDG, 67
• ►Theo Benedet — LT, 67
• ►Tony Fields II — MIKE, 67
• ►Anthony Johnson Jr — FS, 66
• ►Beau Gardner — LS, 66
• ►Dallis Flowers — CB, 66
• ►Jonathan Garvin — LEDG, 66
• ►Jordan McFadden — LG, 66
• ►Keyshaun Elliott — MIKE, 66
• ►Luke Newman — RG, 66
• ►Josh Blackwell — CB, 65
• ►Nephi Sewell — WILL, 65
• ►Sam Roush — TE, 65
• ►Gervarrius Owens — SS, 64
• ►Case Keenum — QB, 63
• ►Jon Rhattigan — MIKE, 63
• ►Brittain Brown — HB, 62
• ►Kyle Hergel — RG, 62
• ►Maurice Alexander — WR, 62
• ►Stephen Carlson — TE, 60
• ►Tyson Bagent — QB, 59
• ►Nikola Kalinic — TE, 58

Projected Starting Lineups

Offense (Base)

• QB — C. Williams, 90
• HB — D. Swift, 85
• FB — C. Kmet, 76
• WR1 — R. Odunze, 82
• WR2 — L. Burden III, 79
• TE — C. Loveland, 84
• LT — J. Wills Jr, 74
• LG — J. Thuney, 96
• C — G. Bradbury, 76
• RG — J. Jackson, 78
• RT — D. Wright, 87

Defense (Base)

• LEDG — M. Sweat, 82
• DT1 — G. Jarrett, 81
• DT2 — G. Dexter Sr, 79
• REDG — D. Odeyingbo, 73
• SAM — D. Jackson, 71
• MIKE — D. Bush, 86
• WILL — T. Edwards, 81
• CB1 — J. Johnson, 90
• CB2 — K. Gordon, 83
• FS — C. Bryant, 77
• SS — D. Thieneman, 77

The corner pairing is the reason you can play aggressive coverage. A 90 and an 83 on the outside means you rarely need help over the top, which frees the free safety to sit in the middle and take away the deep dig. That is how you cover for a 25th-ranked speed number without playing soft.

Roster Snapshot

Offensive Impact Players

Joe Thuney at 96 overall is the best player on this roster and it is not close. Caleb Williams at 90 gives you a quarterback who can hold the pocket and rip the deep out. Darnell Wright at 87 anchors the right side, D’Andre Swift at 85 is a genuine three-down back, and Colston Loveland at 84 is the seam threat that makes play-action honest. Five players at 84 or better on one side of the ball is a real core.

Defensive Impact Players

Jaylon Johnson at 90 is a lockdown corner you can leave on an island in Cover 1. Kyler Gordon at 83 handles the slot without needing bracket help. Montez Sweat at 82 off the left edge is your primary four-man pressure source, and in a 4-3 that rushes four he gets one-on-one reps against the right tackle all game long.

X-Factors and Superstars

Three ability players carry this roster. Learn what each one does before you take the Bears online, because the X-Factor especially changes how you should handle pressure.

Caleb Williams (QB #18, 90 OVR) — Brick Wall

Breaks the first sack while in the pocket. Also: Extender (Greatly improved chance to break the first sack by a blitzing DB.), Fearless (Greatly resistant to defensive pressure while on the run or in the pocket.), Long Range Deadeye (Elite pass accuracy on all deep throws.)

Joe Thuney (LG #62, 96 OVR) — Post Up

Greatly improved double team blocks. Also: Pass Protector (Protection vs. quick pass blockshed moves.), Nasty Streak (Dominant, greatly fatiguing impact block wins against DBs & LBs.)

Jaylon Johnson (CB #1, 90 OVR) — On The Ball

Grants improved reactions to runoffs. Also: Deep Route KO (Slightly improved KO chance in man vs. deep routes.)

Brick Wall plus Extender stacked on the same quarterback is the sneaky-strong combination here. Rushers who beat your tackle clean still get shrugged off once, which buys the half-second a deep comeback route needs to come open. That is why you can call seven-step concepts with a below-average left tackle in front of you.

Madden Gameplay & Franchise Outlook

Offensive Scheme

Live in Singleback Wing Pair Heavy and Strong I H Wing on early downs. Power and Counter run behind Thuney, and because Post Up boosts his double teams, the backside three-technique gets washed out instead of penetrating. Then flip to Gun Bunch X Nasty on second and medium — the same personnel, a completely different picture. Loveland running a corner route out of a bunch stack is the shot play, and it works because the linebackers are already crashing on run action. Our playbook breakdowns go deeper on the Bunch family.

Defensive Scheme

Base 4-3 Over is home. Rush four, drop seven, and let Sweat work the edge. When you need pressure, Nickel 2-4 Dbl Mug shows six and only brings four, which is the classic way to force a hot throw into Gordon’s slot leverage. Avoid heavy blitzing — with a 25th-ranked speed number, your linebackers cannot chase a scrambler, so keep a spy on mobile quarterbacks and make them beat you underneath. The real football logic behind the 4-3 is well documented at Wikipedia’s American football strategy page.

Franchise Mode Strategy

You have $8.53M in cap space, which is not enough to buy a fix. Draft the fix instead. Left tackle is the position that has to change — Jedrick Wills Jr at 74 with a C+ grade is the weak link on an otherwise strong line, and Ozzy Trapilo at 73 is a developmental piece, not an answer. Second priority is the SAM linebacker spot. Beyond that, the roster is young enough that XP progression handles most of it. Real transaction news that shapes these rosters gets tracked at NFL.com.

Playing Online

An online rating of 83 puts the Bears squarely in playable territory without being a top-tier pick. What makes them viable in head-to-head is the corner duo and the X-Factor quarterback. What limits them is Team Speed at 25th, so a fast opponent will beat you on wheel routes and outside zone if you play soft. Press at the line, use Gordon in the slot, and keep the ball on the ground to shorten the game. More head-to-head prep lives in our Madden tips and guides library.

Chicago Bears Strengths and Weaknesses

Team Strengths

Passing at 7th and Coverage at 9th are the two rankings that carry this roster. The passing number reflects a 90 overall quarterback with Long Range Deadeye, which means deep outs and post routes actually arrive on time instead of floating. Coverage at 9th comes straight from the corner room. Pass Rush at 10th rounds it out — you generate heat with four, which is the whole point of the Base 4-3 and the reason your seven-man drops hold up.

Team Weaknesses

Blocking at 21st and Team Speed at 25th are the two soft spots, and they compound each other. The blocking number is dragged down by the left tackle and center, so interior pressure and speed rushes off the blind side are the two ways opponents will get to Williams. The speed number means you cannot outrun anyone to the perimeter or recover on a blown coverage. Play inside-out on both sides of the ball and those numbers stop mattering as much.

Chicago Bears Team Preview FAQ

What is the Chicago Bears overall rating in Madden NFL 27?

The Bears are 83 overall, with an 85 offense, an 81 defense, and an 83 online rating.

Who is the best player on the Bears roster?

Joe Thuney, left guard, at 96 overall. He is a Superstar with Post Up for improved double team blocks, Pass Protector, and Nasty Streak.

What offensive scheme do the Bears run?

Multiple Power Run at a 63 percent scheme fit, using pulling linemen and lead blockers, with a Field General quarterback archetype for third and short.

Are the Bears good for online head-to-head play?

They are solid but not elite. The 83 online rating, the Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon corner pairing, and the Caleb Williams X-Factor make them competitive, though the 25th-ranked team speed is a real limitation against fast offenses.

What should I fix first in Bears franchise mode?

Left tackle. Jedrick Wills Jr grades out at C+ and there is no clear replacement behind him, which is the main reason the blocking ranking sits at 21st despite a 96 overall guard.

Final Thoughts

This Chicago Bears Team Preview lands on a simple read: a top-heavy roster with two genuinely elite pieces and a clear plan for how to use them. Run behind the A+ guard, press with the corners, keep the linebackers out of space. Do those three things and the 83 overall plays a lot bigger than it looks on the team select screen. Ignore them and the blocking and speed rankings will find you in the fourth quarter.

Every one of our 32 team breakdowns follows this same format, so if you want the matchup edge on the rest of the NFC North, the full library is waiting at MaddenGuides.com — and the video version of this Bears breakdown is up on the channel now.