The Green Bay Packers are clearly chasing the Chicago Bears after the surprise 2025 NFC North title run from their hated rivals. Understandably, fans are keeping a close eye on the Bears' offseason in hopes of finding a clear edge. When examining Chicago's depth chart, one area where that is evident is the major losses to the secondary the franchise suffered in free agency. Looking at the safety position, in particular, the Bears lost Kevin Byard, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Jaquan Brisker, and Jonathan Owens in free agency.
Chicago responded to these losses by signing Coby Bryant and Cam Lewis. While both players have experience playing for contenders, you cannot possibly expect the two veterans to replace the four depth pieces that the Bears have lost. This is great news for a Green Bay offense that now has far less reason to fear the back end of the Chicago defense.
Byard is a huge loss both on the field, with 223 tackles and 8 interceptions over the last two seasons, and in the locker room. To put it simply, while the free agency signings are notable, Green Bay can't help but appreciate the loss of depth and believe that a duo that hasn't yet spent time playing together is going to be a clear downgrade. One that is going to lead to mistakes that Jordan Love can take far easier advantage of than he was capable of a season ago.
Packers Can't Help but Enjoy Watching Chicago's Clear Downgrade in Safety Depth
It is extremely important to note here as well that Green Bay fans should not celebrate too soon, given that the draft is still upcoming. Even after the two notable signings at the position, it could make sense for the Bears to attempt to find a solidifying piece for the secondary. The Bears hold their own first-round pick, two second-round selections, a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder, and a selection in the draft's final round, and this year's draft is rich in talent on the back end of the defense.
This is more than enough opportunity for Chicago to solve the clear downgrade at the position if it so chooses. Something that Packer fans will be cheering against, as they can't help but enjoy the departure of the Bears' safety depth. It is important to note here as well that Bryant is a respected addition coming off a 2025 season in which he helped the Seattle Seahawks capture a Super Bowl victory. Bryant had four interceptions and was a clear force in the defensive backfield in the 2025 season; whether he can keep that up in the Windy City remains to be seen.
Still, what Packer fans are celebrating is the departure of proven depth at the position and a group that clearly worked well together through the end of the 2025 season. This was evidenced by a Gardner-Johnson interception off Jordan Love in their Week 14 matchup, to go along with the trio of safeties consistently creating headaches for the Packers.
If Chicago opts not to make further additions at safety, it is clear that this is an area where Green Bay has made up ground. The position group appears far less daunting than it did a year ago, which should lead to more freedom for Packer receivers to win over the top in their two divisional matchups. Love should play far freer and more aggressively, giving fans hope that the Packers can legitimately catch the defending NFC North champs.