The Bears built some positive momentum heading into the bye. They finished their first four games on a two-game winning streak and now sit at .500 entering a run of 14 straight games.

That’s a gauntlet, especially considering the schedule. The Bears will travel to Washington, then host New Orleans before playing at Baltimore and then at Cincinnati. That stretch looked far worse when the schedule came out in May, but the Commanders look fallible, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is hurt and the Ravens are a MASH unit, though their outlook may be better come Week 8.

[Five questions facing Ben Johnson, Bears coming out of bye]

Ben Johnson will need several players to step up to come out of that stretch .500 or better, especially quarterback Caleb Williams, running back D’Andre Swift and edge rusher Montez Sweat.

In two words: Well, duh.

Those names are obvious. Let’s dig a little deeper and identify some players who can be of great service and help the Bears remain competitive over the next four games and beyond:

CB Tyrique Stevenson

The third-year veteran had a rough showing in a Week 2 blowout loss to Detroit. Stevenson vowed to be better, simply saying that performance didn’t reach his own high standards. His response was overwhelmingly positive, with excellent games against Dallas and Las Vegas.

He has allowed four receptions for 42 yards on 14 targets within that span, which also includes a second-half interception that was a pivot point against the Raiders. Head coach Ben Johnson considered Week 4 Stevenson’s best game of the season.

The Bears need high-quality production from Stevenson moving forward, especially with Jaylon Johnson out for a prolonged stretch. He’s the Bears’ top outside cornerback now, and that comes with great responsibility he must own. This big role will continue next in Washington, his house of horrors after his influence on last year’s Hail Mary. If he can go back there and put forth a solid showing, that could launch a positive run that shows signs of the steadier play he and the Bears have been looking for.

[Caleb Williams, D’Andre Swift, Bears run defense among good, bad, ugly at bye]

OT Theo Benedet

Benedet has earned an important role on the Bears offensive line, working his way up the ranks over the course of training camp and the preseason. He finished Week 4 as the primary left tackle, a role he could well retain in Week 5. If he does, Benedet’s pass protection must be consistently good to make sure Williams has time to work.

He has played well as a swing tackle, working on the left and the right, and he seems on the verge of an increased snap count. Ben Johnson hasn’t announced his plans at offensive tackle, saying he’ll evaluate the first four games overall before plotting a course forward. Whether or not he’s an every-down player, Benedet has proven valuable and could well get his shot to stabilize the left flank. If he can do that and improve run blocking there, the offensive line will be in much better shape.

CB Kyler Gordon

Gordon is admittedly too big a name to be on this list, but the star slot cornerback is included after missing the first four games after battling a hamstring strain most of the summer. He has worked his way back from injury, ramped up and should be ready to go against the Commanders.

Gordon is a game changer, someone who can cover inside, defend the run and blitz effectively. His presence changes how a game can be called, with coordinator Dennis Allen capable of using him in unique ways. It’s also possible, though ultimately uncertain, that he could play outside in the base defense and inside for sub packages, expanding his value to every down.

He’s someone who will make his presence felt right away. This is an odd thing to say about a slot corner, but Gordon can be a dominant force in the defense. The key will be keeping him healthy and available throughout the rest of the season.

[Bears mailbag: How Dennis Allen can help Bears pass rush, Caleb Williams’ development]

RB Kyle Monangai

The Bears’ run game is not where it needs to be. Ben Johnson knows it. His assistant coaches know it. So do the players involved in the operation. Johnson is the first to admit it’ll take better from everyone to get the ground game right, from the schematics to the blocking to the running backs themselves.

This is not meant to single out a seventh-round rookie as the problem or the solution. It’s merely to say that Monangai is capable of more and could be a valuable contributor if he’s productive with increased opportunities. He has been a secondary option and will continue to be, but the Rutgers product can be a physical interior rusher to earn the tough yards inside that have largely proved elusive to this point. Monangai has been best rushing off right tackle, so the Bears can use him on most any run.

Swift needs some support and, if Monangai continues to show growth, his opportunities should increase. He averaged 4.5 yards over four carries versus Las Vegas, showing efficiency over a small sample size. He’ll need to do that over 7-10 carries each week, which will help the run game overall.  

DE Dayo Odeyingbo

The Bears pass rush is struggling some. While Sweat draws the most criticism due to his massive salary, newcomer Dayo Odeyingbo is making solid sums to get after the quarterback. That hasn’t happened often enough. He had a sack and three quarterback pressures in Week 1, against a backup left tackle.

Odeyingbo has zero sacks and four quarterback pressures in three games since. He had an 11.9 quarterback pressure percentage in 2024 with Indianapolis. It’s at 8.2% through four games, which isn’t disruptive enough to take attention away from Sweat off the opposite edge.

The Bears need better from their defensive front overall, in the run and pass, and Odeyingbo could make a major impact by raising his level of play overall. He has the talent and the skill set to excel in this defense. He needs to start doing so and making impact plays that will make the defensive line the intimidator many expect it to be.

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