Chicago's case for a step forward is more straightforward. Williams set a franchise single-season passing record in 2025, cut his sacks taken nearly in half, and led the Bears to a division title and a playoff win over Green Bay. Ben Johnson's staff spent this offseason building on that instead of installing from scratch, and it showed in OTAs — the offense reportedly looked far more polished than it did at this point a year ago.
Minnesota's late-season surge is worth noting beyond the record — wins over Dallas, the Giants, Detroit, and Green Bay to close the year, capped by a 16-3 shutout of the Packers. That's a defense playing complementary football regardless of who's under center, and it's a big reason O'Connell can afford to take his time sorting out the quarterback spot instead of rushing a decision.
Injury-wise, neither team is dealing with a marquee absence heading toward the fall. Minnesota's Christian Darrisaw is trending well off his knee and reportedly looked "unbelievable" in minicamp, while DT Caleb Banks is expected back for camp after missing spring. Chicago's biggest watch items are lower-body — DE Dayo Odeyingbo working back from Achilles surgery and CB Kyler Gordon managing a soft-tissue issue — both listed questionable rather than out.
This one's still months away and a lot can shift before Week 3 kicks off. But the shape of the story is already clear: a Bears team that knows who it is squaring off with a Vikings team that's finishing installation on both a quarterback and an identity.