Checking in on six former Bears players starting anew
At Halas Hall, “last season” has become a bit of a four-letter word. Not because the Bears didn’t enjoy what they accomplished during a division championship season that also produced the franchise’s first playoff victory in 15 years. Rather, coach Ben Johnson sees very little value in looking backward when there is so much more to focus on ahead.
Thus, the Bears are crossing the bridge now from the preseason into the 2026 regular season with purpose plus an understanding of the heavy lift they face to achieve their next goals.
For what it’s worth, the team’s current 53-man roster includes 20 players who were not a part of last season’s emergence. Which means a handful of key contributors from 2025 have begun new chapters elsewhere, too. In defiance of the Halas Hall ordinance, and in preparation for Week 1, we’re removing the blinders and using peripheral vision to check in on a half-dozen former Bears who were instrumental in last season’s success but are now carving out new roles with new teams.
DJ Moore, Buffalo Bills receiver
Last season: Moore’s 2025 season was difficult to interpret. His chemistry with quarterback Caleb Williams was inconsistent. And his season totals (50 catches, 682 yards) were career lows. Yet with a pair of stadium-shaking game-winning touchdown catches in unforgettable comeback wins over the rival Green Bay Packers — the second in the wild-card round of the playoffs — Moore cemented his place in Bears history.
Why he departed: With the Bears well stocked with talented young pass catchers — Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden — general manager Ryan Poles chose to dangle Moore as a trade chip over the winter and found interested suitors in Buffalo GM Brandon Beane and new head coach Joe Brady. Brady overlapped with Moore early in the receiver’s career with the Carolina Panthers. An early March trade — with Moore and a Round 5 pick sent to Buffalo — brought the Bears back a second-round pick.
Contract situation: Moore is still playing on the four-year, $110 million extension the Bears gave him in the summer of 2024. He carries a base salary of $23.5 million for every season through 2029. Were the Bills to part with him before that, the dead cap money would be greatly reduced in 2028 ($13.3 million) and 2029 ($8.9 million).
The word from Buffalo: “If there’s one thing that has become abundantly clear, the Bills are all in on making Moore a humongous piece of their offense as their No. 1 receiver. This was Beane’s biggest swing at improving wide receiver since trading for Stefon Diggs in 2020, and Josh Allen has been hard at work to build the on-field connection since Moore’s arrival.
“As camp moved along, it became quite clear Allen was looking for Moore early and often, and that the connection had grown quite well. The days of ‘everybody eats’ — their self-populated wide receiver mantra over the last two years in the post-Diggs era — have long since vanished with Moore on the team. There is now a genuine expectation Moore will be on the field all the time, giving the Bills a deep-field threat that simply did not exist in their offense the last two seasons.” — Joe Buscaglia
Kevin Byard, New England Patriots safety
Last season: Byard not only performed at an All-Pro level, leading the NFL with seven interceptions, but he was also a tone-setting captain for the Bears and continued his iron man streak, upping his run of consecutive regular-season games played to 164.
Why he departed: The Bears, in a quest to upgrade their speed on defense, chose to go younger with the signing of 27-year-old athletic safety Coby Bryant. Byard’s market ultimately didn’t crystallize the way many thought it might, and he reunited in New England with coach Mike Vrabel, whom he was with from 2018 to 2023 when both were with the Tennessee Titans.
Contract situation: Byard’s deal with the Patriots was for one season and $9 million.
The word from New England: “Between his stature in the league and his pre-existing relationship with Vrabel, Byard has quickly become the vocal leader of the Patriots’ defense.
“Does the 33-year-old safety still have the same speed of six years ago? Maybe not. But his ball skills are still off the charts and he’s been great about ensuring the Patriots are lined up properly, quickly grasping this new defense he’s in. It seems unlikely that he’ll match his seven interceptions of a year ago, but Byard looks like a solid starting safety who will be the vocal leader for a secondary that has a ton of talent.” — Chad Graff
Tremaine Edmunds, New York Giants linebacker
Last season: While a groin injury sent Edmunds to injured reserve for four weeks late in the season, his overall productivity was solid for the defense. He totaled a team-high 112 tackles plus four interceptions, a sack and a fumble recovery.
Why he departed: While Edmunds was an asset to the Bears defense, the aim at Halas Hall was to get faster and cheaper at linebacker. So, in a move to clear $15 million in salary-cap space, the Bears released the ninth-year veteran in March. Four days later, he landed on his feet for coordinator Dennard Wilson’s defense.
Contract situation: Edmunds’ third NFL contract — three years, $36 million — came with $23.7 million guaranteed.
The word from New York: “Edmunds has been a perfect fit for the overhauled linebacker corps. The Giants desperately needed an upgrade at middle linebacker after having the worst run defense in the NFL last season. Time will tell if Edmunds can still play at a high level, but he has looked the part during training camp.
“Edmunds has flashed the ball skills in camp that have been an asset throughout his career. Throwing over the middle against Edmunds and 6-foot-4 Arvell Reese has been a challenge for quarterbacks all summer.
“Equally important, Edmunds stepped in as a leader from Day 1. He was one of eight players voted to the Giants’ leadership council by teammates. His presence has been especially valuable to Reese, who was the fifth pick in this year’s draft. Edmunds and Reese have played side by side at inside linebacker, with the veteran constantly communicating with the raw rookie.” — Dan Duggan
Nahshon Wright, New York Jets cornerback
Last season: Wright was one of the surprise standouts in the Bears’ division championship run, contributing to the defense’s league-high 33 takeaways with five interceptions plus two forced fumbles and three recoveries.
Why he departed: Rather than bet on Wright repeating his ball production from 2025, the Bears chose to push their chips in on Tyrique Stevenson as their preferred starter opposite Jaylon Johnson.
Contract situation: Wright signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Jets with $3.5 million guaranteed, a relatively low-risk investment.
The word from New York: “The Jets signed Wright largely for his ball skills on a defense that didn’t intercept any passes last season — and also because he fits the physical type of cornerback that coach Aaron Glenn prefers. The plan was for him to compete for a starting job opposite Brandon Stephens and it looked like he was the leader to win that job in the spring.
“Once the summer started, though, second-year corner Azareye’h Thomas got the first reps with the starters. Then Wright dealt with an injury that knocked him out for most of training camp and ultimately cost him a chance to legitimately push to start. Thomas is highly unproven and doesn’t have a history of forcing turnovers, so it’s still entirely possible Wright eventually gets another shot. But for now he’ll be more of a depth piece than someone who gets significant playing time.” — Zack Rosenblatt
Jaquan Brisker, Pittsburgh Steelers safety
Last season: In a contract season, Brisker answered the bell with his durability, playing in all 19 games during the regular season and playoffs. He was at his best in the Bears’ playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, totaling 14 tackles, a sack and two passes defensed.
Why he departed: Brisker was the second player Poles drafted in 2022, with the new GM placing a bet on the safety’s passion, physicality and big-play mentality. But by the end of his rookie contract, the Bears decided they needed to find a safety with more versatility and reliability. Brisker missed 16 games during his time as a Bear, including a dozen in 2024 because of a concussion.
Contract situation: Brisker landed in Pittsburgh on a one-year, $5.5 million deal.
The word from Pittsburgh: “More than 300 of Brisker’s family members and friends traveled to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., this summer, all of them wearing gold No. 3 jerseys. It’s been a joyful homecoming for the Pittsburgh native, who has actively embraced the hometown angle. Brisker has stepped right into a starting role in a Patrick Graham secondary that wants versatile safeties. His blitzing ability and work near the box certainly fits the new Steelers’ DC’s aggressive max-blitzes and simulated pressures.
“The Steelers also believe Brisker is better in the post than most fans and pundits did last year — but that part is to be determined. Brisker was sidelined for a few weeks with an undisclosed injury, but he’s expected to be fine for Week 1. Given that Brisker joined the Steelers on a low-risk, one-year deal, he could turn out to be a bargain-priced starter. Considering the Steelers will be without DeShon Elliott for at least the first four weeks of the season, he’ll need to be.” — Mike DeFabo
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Buffalo Bills cornerback
Last season: Gardner-Johnson’s 10-game run with the Bears — as an emergency midseason signing because of secondary attrition — paid decent dividends. He brought an edge to the defense and contributed two interceptions, five tackles for loss and a forced fumble. His versatility was valued. His diminishing speed was exposed at times.
Why he departed: With fingers crossed, the Bears entered the offseason hopeful that top slot cornerback Kyler Gordon would be back at full strength for 2026. Additionally, while attempting to get younger and faster in the secondary, the team opted not to bring Gardner-Johnson back.
Contract situation: During the second wave of free agency this spring, Gardner-Johnson secured a one-year, $3 million contract in Buffalo.
The word from Buffalo: “The Bills brought Gardner-Johnson in as a central figure in their new 3-4 scheme under first-year coordinator Jim Leonhard. The team didn’t hide behind a faux competition, as Gardner-Johnson was set to be the starting safety along with Cole Bishop as long as he was healthy. However, Gardner-Johnson’s health has been fleeting this summer. He suffered a calf strain early in training camp that looked much worse than it was and returned after a four-day absence. Just four days later, Gardner-Johnson left practice again on Aug. 10 with a different injury and didn’t return until Tuesday.
“There are slight concerns about whether he’ll be ready to play in Week 1 — and with so much missed time, what it might look like. But for the season, the Bills are hoping Gardner-Johnson is the physical safety they signed and can add versatility. If it goes well enough, the Bills could bring him back after the year, too.” — Buscaglia
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