ESPN has been releasing their top 10 lists at every NFL position ahead of training camp marking its return at all 32 facilities. The cornerbacks list was released on Thursday morning. Chicago Bears superstar cornerback Jaylon Johnson claimed the No. 8 spot in a league-wide poll consisting of execs, coaches, and scouts.
It represents a significant climb up the rankings for Johnson, who finished unranked in ESPN's positional poll last season. Johnson finished as high as No. 4 for one voter, though his median finish earned him the eighth overall spot.
"Competitive corner with man traits and excellent zone vision," an NFL personnel evaluator said. "Physical in press and fluid at the break point. Showed more ball production last year. Only thing he lacks is top-end recovery speed."
Johnson earned his spot. The former Utah standout allowed 33 receptions on 57 targets for 286 yards and one touchdown while recording four interceptions, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Johnson was an elite shutdown corner that produced a 17.5% ball-hawk rate.
"No cornerback was hotter in the second half of the season," ESPN wrote. "He was probably Chicago's best overall player. It was a good thing the Bears didn't trade him at the deadline as he requested."
The Bears rewarded Johnson's standout 2023 campaign by signing him to a four-year, $76 million contract extension earlier this offseason. It was a fair contract for the Bears. Johnson is currently the eighth-highest paid cornerback in the league annually at $19 million, according to Over The Cap. The overall value of $76 million also ranks eighth among all cornerbacks.
Johnson was Pro Football Focus" highest-graded cornerback with a coverage score of 90.8. He'll play for a new defensive coordinator this season in Eric Washington. Johnson will spearhead a talented Bears secondary that also features \x3Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\x3Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Execs, scouts, coaches rank Top 10 cornerbacks:\x3Cbr>\x3Cbr>*Denzel Ward, L'Jarius Sneed make huge jumps\x3Cbr>*Sauce Gardner polarizing -- some view as best, others kept out of top 10 altogether\x3Cbr>*Young stars taking out established vets\x3Ca href=\"https://t.co/mUlQWnUQli\">https://t.co/mUlQWnUQli\x3C/a>\x3C/br>\x3C/br>\x3C/br>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) \x3Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1813926785626833063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 18, 2024\x3C/a>\x3C/blockquote>\x3Cp>\"Competitive corner with man traits and excellent zone vision,\" an NFL personnel evaluator \x3Ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/40284094/top-10-nfl-cornerbacks-execs-scouts-2024-espn-jeremy-fowler-position-rankings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">said\x3C/a>. \"Physical in press and fluid at the break point. Showed more ball production last year. Only thing he lacks is top-end recovery speed.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Johnson earned his spot. The former Utah standout allowed 33 receptions on 57 targets for 286 yards and one touchdown while recording four interceptions, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Johnson was an elite shutdown corner that produced a 17.5% ball-hawk rate.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\"No cornerback was hotter in the second half of the season,\" ESPN \x3Ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/40284094/top-10-nfl-cornerbacks-execs-scouts-2024-espn-jeremy-fowler-position-rankings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wrote\x3C/a>. \"He was probably Chicago's best overall player. It was a good thing the Bears didn't trade him at the deadline as he requested.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Bears rewarded Johnson's standout 2023 campaign by signing him to a four-year, $76 million contract extension earlier this offseason. It was a fair contract for the Bears. Johnson is currently the eighth-highest paid cornerback in the league annually at $19 million, according to \x3Ca href=\"https://overthecap.com/position/cornerback\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Over The Cap\x3C/a>. The overall value of $76 million also ranks eighth among all cornerbacks.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Johnson was \x3Ca href=\"https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/jaylon-johnson/56259\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pro Football Focus\x3C/a>\" highest-graded cornerback with a coverage score of 90.8. He'll play for a new defensive coordinator this season in Eric Washington. Johnson will spearhead a talented Bears secondary that also features \x3Ca href='https://www.bearstalk.com/2024/05/29/chicago-bears-2024-nfl-season-tyrique-stevenson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tyrique Stevenson\x3C/a>, \x3Ca href=\"https://www.bearstalk.com/2024/03/11/chicago-bears-signing-kevin-byard-nfl-free-agency-a-good-idea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Byard\x3C/a>, Jaquan Brisker, and \x3Ca href=\"https://www.bearstalk.com/2024/06/13/chicago-bears-cb-kyler-gordon-breakout-season\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyler Gordon\x3C/a>.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\x3Cbr>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\x3Cbr>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>",excerpt:"Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson was named a top 10 player at his position by ESPN on Thursday morning",featured_image_url:"/api/public/media/2025/07/jaylon-johnson-original.jpg",photo_credit:"Michael Reaves/Getty Images",status:"published",created_at:"2026-06-23T13:24:34.381588+00:00",author_display_name:"Justin Melo",author_gravatar_hash:"3db2d799cf003653055acaf8b5418622",author_avatar_url:null,category_names:$R[14]=["News"],tags:$R[15]=["chicago-bears","jaylon-johnson","news","nfl"],meta_title:null,meta_description:null,og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:null,reading_time_minutes:null,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"public",is_featured:!1,linkedContent:"\x3Cp id=\"isPasted\">ESPN has been releasing their top 10 lists at every NFL position ahead of training camp marking its return at all 32 facilities. The cornerbacks list was released on Thursday morning. Chicago Bears superstar cornerback \x3Ca href=\"https://www.bearstalk.com/2024/06/17/nfl-chicago-bears-jaylon-johnson-primed-for-big-year-2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jaylon Johnson\x3C/a> claimed the No. 8 spot in a league-wide poll consisting of execs, coaches, and scouts.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>It represents a significant climb up the rankings for Johnson, who finished unranked in ESPN's positional poll last season. Johnson finished as high as No. 4 for one voter, though his median finish earned him the eighth overall spot.\x3C/p>\x3Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\x3Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Execs, scouts, coaches rank Top 10 cornerbacks:\x3Cbr>\x3Cbr>*Denzel Ward, L'Jarius Sneed make huge jumps\x3Cbr>*Sauce Gardner polarizing -- some view as best, others kept out of top 10 altogether\x3Cbr>*Young stars taking out established vets\x3Ca href=\"https://t.co/mUlQWnUQli\">https://t.co/mUlQWnUQli\x3C/a>\x3C/br>\x3C/br>\x3C/br>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) \x3Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1813926785626833063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 18, 2024\x3C/a>\x3C/blockquote>\x3Cp>\"Competitive corner with man traits and excellent zone vision,\" an NFL personnel evaluator \x3Ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/40284094/top-10-nfl-cornerbacks-execs-scouts-2024-espn-jeremy-fowler-position-rankings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">said\x3C/a>. \"Physical in press and fluid at the break point. Showed more ball production last year. Only thing he lacks is top-end recovery speed.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Johnson earned his spot. The former Utah standout allowed 33 receptions on 57 targets for 286 yards and one touchdown while recording four interceptions, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Johnson was an elite shutdown corner that produced a 17.5% ball-hawk rate.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\"No cornerback was hotter in the second half of the season,\" ESPN \x3Ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/40284094/top-10-nfl-cornerbacks-execs-scouts-2024-espn-jeremy-fowler-position-rankings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wrote\x3C/a>. \"He was probably Chicago's best overall player. It was a good thing the Bears didn't trade him at the deadline as he requested.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Bears rewarded Johnson's standout 2023 campaign by signing him to a four-year, $76 million contract extension earlier this offseason. It was a fair contract for the Bears. Johnson is currently the eighth-highest paid cornerback in the league annually at $19 million, according to \x3Ca href=\"https://overthecap.com/position/cornerback\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Over The Cap\x3C/a>. The overall value of $76 million also ranks eighth among all cornerbacks.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Johnson was \x3Ca href=\"https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/jaylon-johnson/56259\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pro Football Focus\x3C/a>\" highest-graded cornerback with a coverage score of 90.8. He'll play for a new defensive coordinator this season in Eric Washington. Johnson will spearhead a talented Bears secondary that also features \x3Ca href='https://www.bearstalk.com/2024/05/29/chicago-bears-2024-nfl-season-tyrique-stevenson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tyrique Stevenson\x3C/a>, \x3Ca href=\"https://www.bearstalk.com/2024/03/11/chicago-bears-signing-kevin-byard-nfl-free-agency-a-good-idea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Byard\x3C/a>, Jaquan Brisker, and \x3Ca href=\"https://www.bearstalk.com/2024/06/13/chicago-bears-cb-kyler-gordon-breakout-season\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyler Gordon\x3C/a>.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\x3Cbr>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\x3Cbr>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>",related:$R[16]=[$R[17]={id:"41cbdafd-bfaa-42fc-a0a0-ddf7d8b0559e",wp_post_id:100000000264,title:"NFL experts reveal Bears vs. Patriots final score predictions for Thursday night",slug:"bears-patriots-week-7-expert-score-predictions",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/22",published_at:"2026-10-22T15:44:46.389+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-22T15:44:46.389+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears can improve to 5-2 Thursday night when they host the New England Patriots at Soldier Field. And if the latest expert predictions are any indication, Bears fans have reason to feel optimistic.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Both teams enter Week 7 at 4-2, but Chicago has a few advantages that could make the difference, including home-field advantage and a Patriots offensive line dealing with significant injuries.\x3C/p>\x3Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-tweet-url=\"https://x.com/Patriots/status/2112986154085536189?s=20\" data-dnd=\"embed\">\x3Ca href=\"https://x.com/Patriots/status/2112986154085536189?s=20\">https://x.com/Patriots/status/2112986154085536189?s=20\x3C/a>\x3C/blockquote>\x3Cp>Here's how several NFL analysts expect Thursday night's game to unfold.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>Bears vs. Patriots expert score predictions\x3C/h2>\x3Ctable class=\"bt-table\" style=\"min-width: 50px;\">\x3Ccolgroup>\x3Ccol style=\"min-width: 25px;\">\x3Ccol style=\"min-width: 25px;\">\x3C/colgroup>\x3Ctbody>\x3Ctr>\x3Cth colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>Expert\x3C/p>\x3C/th>\x3Cth colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>Predicted final score\x3C/p>\x3C/th>\x3C/tr>\x3Ctr>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>John Breech, CBS Sports\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Bears 27, Patriots 20\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3C/tr>\x3Ctr>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>Mike Reiss, ESPN\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Bears 27, Patriots 24\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3C/tr>\x3Ctr>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>Patrick Finley, Chicago Sun-Times\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Bears 27, Patriots 21\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3C/tr>\x3Ctr>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>Jason Lieser, Chicago Sun-Times\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Bears 24, Patriots 23\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3C/tr>\x3Ctr>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>Pete Prisco, CBS Sports\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Patriots 28, Bears 27\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3C/tr>\x3Ctr>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>Paul Perillo, Patriots.com\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Bears 31, Patriots 27\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3C/tr>\x3Ctr>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>Evan Lazar, Patriots.com\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3Ctd colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Patriots 33, Bears 30\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\x3C/td>\x3C/tr>\x3C/tbody>\x3C/table>\x3Cp>Five of these seven analysts are picking Chicago, although most expect a competitive game.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Breech believes the Bears' pass rush can capitalize on injuries to New England's offensive line. Reiss also favors Chicago, citing the difficulty of playing a Thursday road game with a depleted o-line.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Prisco sees things differently. He's picking New England because he believes the Patriots have the stronger defense. That may be true on paper, but I wouldn't underestimate the upside of Dennis Allen's group now that Kyler Gordon is healthy.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>Why the Bears could win\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>One reason: Caleb Williams.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Iceman is fresh off one of his best pro outings, completing 30 of 36 passes for 301 yards and a touchdown in the Bears' Week 6 win over the Falcons. He returns to Soldier Field in front of a home crowd that undoubtedly can't wait to see No. 18 work some magic. And magic he will make.\x3C/p>\x3Cimg class=\"my-4 rounded\" src=\"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1792418498542-l3dk5j.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MjQxODQ5ODU0Mi1sM2RrNWoud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTI0MTg0OTcsImV4cCI6MjEwNzc3ODQ5N30.0Od1qndvBwC3IAOoAmLcHH4CzUqd5P2ExzAh9tjNCyo\" alt=\"Caleb Williams Bears Falcons\">\x3Cp>Williams will play smart football; he'll stay away from Christian Gonzalez, and he'll end Week 7 giving fans (and critics) another reason to view him as an inevitable MVP candidate.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Sure, the Bears defense could emerge as the bigger storyline Thursday night. Especially with the mash unit that is the Patriots' offensive line. But a game like this -- a quick turnaround time on the national stage -- usually comes down to the quarterback.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Give me Williams over Maye.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>BearsTalk final score prediction\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Bears 27, Patriots 24\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\x3Cp>I expect a competitive game, but Williams and Chicago's offensive weapons should make enough plays to secure another victory.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Patriots won't make it easy, but with injuries to New England's offensive line and the Bears playing at home, Chicago has a slight edge.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Going 5-2 with a mini-bye before facing the Seahawks in Week 8 would put the Bears in a great spot as the second half of the season inches closer.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"NFL experts weigh in on Bears vs. Patriots Thursday night, with most predicting a Chicago victory. See the final score picks and our prediction.",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1792683650244-cpn17y.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MjY4MzY1MDI0NC1jcG4xN3kud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTI2ODM2NTEsImV4cCI6MjEwODA0MzY1MX0.SuzaXmHD1r3kEfHT6iLarsUcBuNmMTaFUSA_d2IU9is",photo_credit:null,status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-22T15:24:52.664117+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[18]=["News"],tags:$R[19]=["Bears vs Patriots","Ben Johnson","Caleb Williams","Chicago Bears","Drake Maye","New England Patriots","NFL predictions","NFL Week 7","Thursday Night Football"],meta_title:"Bears vs. Patriots score predictions: Expert picks",meta_description:"NFL experts weigh in on Bears vs. Patriots Thursday night, with most predicting a Chicago victory. See the final score picks and our prediction.",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:"Chicago Bears",reading_time_minutes:2,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"public",is_featured:!0},$R[20]={id:"2e8b7992-2e26-43c1-b73b-bed4e414ad2f",wp_post_id:100000000263,title:"BTX rankings: The 10 highest-graded Bears through Week 6",slug:"bears-btx-rankings-top-10-week-6-2026",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/22",published_at:"2026-10-22T13:32:53.699+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-22T13:32:53.699+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears are 4-2 heading into Thursday night's matchup against the New England Patriots, and an interesting story is developing beneath their winning record.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The players leading the team in our BearsTalk BTX grades aren't necessarily the ones you'd expect.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Instead, a rookie safety leads the Bears, a running back who hasn't played since Week 4 remains among the NFL's best at his position, and a young edge rusher has quietly established himself as one of Chicago's most valuable defenders.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"The Chicago Bears are 4-2 entering Thursday night's matchup against the New England Patriots, and there's a pretty interesting story developing beneath their winning record. It's not necessarily the p",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1790697494801-flnqia.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MDY5NzQ5NDgwMS1mbG5xaWEud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTA2OTc0OTUsImV4cCI6MjEwNjA1NzQ5NX0.4Ykun5MB50x2pxeSyEcva-TWsXcEutGrlb0WguZ_CbE",photo_credit:null,status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-22T13:11:47.681612+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[21]=["News"],tags:$R[22]=["2026 NFL season","Austin Booker","BearsTalk Analytics","BTX","Caleb Williams","Chicago Bears","D'Andre Swift","Devin Bush","Dillon Thieneman","Kalif Raymond","Kyle Monangai","Luther Burden III","Rome Odunze"],meta_title:"Chicago Bears BTX rankings: Top 10 players through Week 6",meta_description:"BearsTalk's BTX grades reveal the Chicago Bears' 10 best performers through Week 6, led by Dillon Thieneman, Kyle Monangai, and Austin Booker.",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:"Chicago Bears",reading_time_minutes:5,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"premium",is_featured:!1},$R[23]={id:"91b13a57-b70f-478b-82bf-8d1af44a2678",wp_post_id:100000000262,title:"5 things the Bears must do to beat the Patriots on Thursday night",slug:"chicago-bears-patriots-week-7-keys-to-victory",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/21",published_at:"2026-10-21T16:13:46.621+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-21T16:13:46.621+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears have an opportunity to make a statement Thursday night. Not because beating the New England Patriots would suddenly make them Super Bowl contenders, but because Caleb Williams beating Drake Maye in front of a national audience would confirm what Bears fans already know: this team is for real.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Both teams enter Week 7 at 4-2. The Bears are coming off a 31-23 victory over Atlanta in Williams' first game back from his hamstring injury, while New England has won three straight behind quarterback Drake Maye.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>And with both teams playing on a short week, Thursday's game could come down to execution more than anything else.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"The Bears face the Patriots in a Week 7 primetime showdown. Here are five keys to victory, from containing Drake Maye to protecting Caleb Williams.",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1787783797930-3dzt39.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc4Nzc4Mzc5NzkzMC0zZHp0Mzkud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3ODc3ODM3OTgsImV4cCI6MjEwMzE0Mzc5OH0.MQsbC7auWEZc-wg7GrLElE9ThFr5pyBAEXo-Fa5sT5Q",photo_credit:null,status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-21T15:50:28.521301+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[24]=["News"],tags:$R[25]=["Ben Johnson","Caleb Williams","Chicago Bears","Colston Loveland","Dennis Allen","Devin Bush","Drake Maye","Kyler Gordon","New England Patriots","NFL Week 7","Thursday Night Football"],meta_title:"5 things the Bears must do to beat Patriots Thursday night",meta_description:"The Bears face the Patriots in a Week 7 primetime showdown. Here are five keys to victory, from containing Drake Maye to protecting Caleb Williams.",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:"Chicago Bears",reading_time_minutes:5,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"premium",is_featured:!1},$R[26]={id:"efe2ae98-31e7-4d0b-a2c3-5dc4fd573d9a",wp_post_id:100000000261,title:"How to watch Bears vs. Patriots Thursday night: TV channel, streaming and kickoff time",slug:"how-to-watch-bears-patriots-week-7-2026",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/21",published_at:"2026-10-21T15:44:50.573+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-21T15:44:50.573+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears are back in primetime Thursday night, hosting the New England Patriots in a Week 7 showdown at Soldier Field.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Both teams enter the matchup at 4-2, making it one of the more intriguing games on the NFL's Week 7 schedule.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Bears are coming off a 31-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, highlighted by Caleb Williams' impressive return from a hamstring injury. Williams completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Meanwhile, New England enters Thursday riding a three-game winning streak behind a red-hot Drake Maye.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Here's everything Bears fans need to know about how to watch, stream, or listen to Thursday night's game.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>What time is Bears vs. Patriots?\x3C/h2>\x3Cul>\x3Cli>\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Date:\x3C/strong> Thursday, October 22, 2026\x3C/p>\x3C/li>\x3Cli>\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Kickoff:\x3C/strong> 8:15 p.m. ET / 7:15 p.m. CT\x3C/p>\x3C/li>\x3Cli>\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Location:\x3C/strong> Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois\x3C/p>\x3C/li>\x3Cli>\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>Matchup:\x3C/strong> New England Patriots (4-2) at Chicago Bears (4-2)\x3C/p>\x3C/li>\x3C/ul>\x3Ch2>What channel is Bears vs. Patriots on?\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>Thursday night's game will stream nationally on Amazon Prime Video.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Fans in the Chicago television market can also watch the game on FOX 32 Chicago, while viewers in the Boston market can watch on WCVB Channel 5.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Al Michaels will handle play-by-play duties alongside analyst Kirk Herbstreit, with Kaylee Hartung reporting from the sidelines.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>How to stream Bears vs. Patriots\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>Fans can stream the game through the Prime Video app or at \x3Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https://www.primevideo.com/\">PrimeVideo.com\x3C/a>. An Amazon Prime or eligible Prime Video subscription is required for the national broadcast.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The game is also available through NFL+ on supported mobile devices, subject to subscription and location restrictions.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>How to listen to Bears vs. Patriots\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>Chicago fans can listen to the Bears' radio broadcast on ESPN 1000, and Westwood One will also carry the game nationally.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>What's at stake?\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>The Bears have an opportunity to improve to 5-2 and continue their momentum heading into a massive NFC North showdown in Week 8 against the Seattle Seahawks.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Caleb Williams vs. Drake Maye should be fireworks for NFL fans, and it's an opportunity for Bears fans to pound their chest a little bit harder about the quarterback they landed in the 2024 NFL Draft.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"Find out how to watch Bears vs. Patriots on Thursday Night Football, including kickoff time, TV channel, Amazon Prime Video streaming and radio coverage.",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1792340037140-94iowi.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MjM0MDAzNzE0MC05NGlvd2kud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTIzNDAwMzcsImV4cCI6MjEwNzcwMDAzN30.OM_VhTWUNKEBHicePAuhf6wcZZlTZgG3ztiJpuOS068",photo_credit:null,status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-21T15:37:35.750664+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[27]=["News"],tags:$R[28]=["2026 NFL season.","Amazon Prime Video","Bears live stream","Bears vs. Patriots","Caleb Williams","Chicago Bears","Drake Maye","New England Patriots","NFL Week 7","Thursday Night Football"],meta_title:"How to watch Bears vs. Patriots in Week 7: TV, stream, time",meta_description:"Find out how to watch Bears vs. Patriots on Thursday Night Football, including kickoff time, TV channel, Amazon Prime Video streaming, and radio coverage.",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:"Chicago Bears",reading_time_minutes:2,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"public",is_featured:!1},$R[29]={id:"d951c40e-3649-4fb8-9223-891caf71d628",wp_post_id:100000000260,title:"Bears make big jump in ESPN's Week 7 NFL power rankings",slug:"chicago-bears-espn-week-7-nfl-power-rankings",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/20",published_at:"2026-10-20T15:47:21.465+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-20T15:47:21.465+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears are back in the top 10 of ESPN's NFL power rankings, and the return of Caleb Williams has plenty to do with it.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Following Sunday's 31-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, \x3Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50218886/nfl-power-rankings-week-7-teams-biggest-issue-offense\">the Bears climbed four spots to No. 9 in ESPN's Week 7 rankings, up from No. 13 last week.\x3C/a>\x3C/p>\x3Cp>It's a big jump for a Chicago team that has had its share of ups and downs in the first six weeks of the season, including a three-game stretch without the Iceman.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>But with Williams back under center and the Bears at 4-2, national expectations are rising again.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>ESPN identifies Chicago's biggest offensive problem\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>This week's ESPN rankings added a wrinkle: Each team's NFL Nation reporter identified its biggest offensive concern.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>For the Bears, ESPN's Courtney Cronin pointed to penalties.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\"Quarterback Caleb Williams being back under center alleviates a lot of the issues the Bears struggled with in his absence, such as red zone execution, third-down efficiency and their downfield passing attack. One area that can stand to be cleaned up more is offensive penalties, which accounted for seven of the Bears' infractions Sunday. Those offensive penalties helped generate Chicago's most penalty yardage in a game since 2016 (133). The Bears are tied for the third-most offensive holding penalties (10). That's an area they'll want to fix so it doesn't derail drives.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Chicago committed 12 penalties in total against Atlanta, including seven on offense. \x3C/p>\x3Cp>It's a very real concern, especially for an offense that was hitting on all cylinders with Williams back in the lineup.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Williams completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons, helping Chicago build a 31-7 lead before Atlanta mounted a fourth-quarter comeback.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Bears' offense has proven that it can run opposing teams out of a stadium. Imagine how much more productive it could be if it weren't consistently putting itself behind the chains with avoidable penalties.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>Are the Bears becoming legitimate Super Bowl contenders?\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>ESPN's No. 9 ranking feels like a reasonable slotting for where Chicago stands entering Week 7.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Bears have won four of their first six games, including two victories during Williams' absence. Sunday's performance reminded us what Johnson's offense looks like with its franchise quarterback healthy.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Still, the Bears have more to prove before they can be crowned one of the NFL's best teams.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The defense nearly allowed Atlanta to erase a 24-point deficit, while offensive penalties remain a recurring problem. Eventually, those issues will cost them games.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Bears host the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football in a matchup between two 4-2 teams led by two of the top three picks in the 2024 NFL draft.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Finally, a Thursday night game worth watching.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>A victory would push the Bears to 5-2 and provide another reason for national analysts to take Chicago seriously. For now, ESPN ranks the Bears among the NFL's 10 best teams, and that's a remarkable place to be after six games, especially given everything Chicago has already navigated this season.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"The Chicago Bears climbed four spots to No. 9 in ESPN's Week 7 NFL power rankings, but a troubling offensive issue could threaten their momentum.",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1792510986034-n4gatn.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MjUxMDk4NjAzNC1uNGdhdG4ud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTI1MTA5ODcsImV4cCI6MjEwNzg3MDk4N30.XLLCFiph-CkSC5USMADlUEcVTjPWEJ6guhd8emYHhPA",photo_credit:"(Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)",status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-20T15:34:26.332308+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[30]=["News"],tags:$R[31]=["ben johnson","caleb williams","chicago bears","nfl power rankings","week 7"],meta_title:"Chicago Bears surge in ESPN's Week 7 NFL power rankings",meta_description:"The Chicago Bears climbed four spots to No. 9 in ESPN's Week 7 NFL power rankings, but a troubling offensive issue could threaten their momentum.",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:"Chicago Bears",reading_time_minutes:2,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"public",is_featured:!1}],truncated:!1},ssr:!0}]})($R["tsr"])