The Chicago Bears are going to run plenty of 13-personnel in 2026. Head coach Ben Johnson was a big fan of those types of packages as the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, and he's now expected to use them in Chicago.
With Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet already in place, they surprised some with the selection of Sam Roush in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Why did they take a tight end so early when they already have two great ones? It's to run those 13-personnel packages, where quarterback Caleb Williams will be surrounded by three tight ends, one wide receiver, one running back, and five offensive linemen.
There are multiple reasons why Johnson wants to execute an offense with these types of plays in the mix. For one, it helps establish the run game. A lot of big bodies will be crowded up at the line of scrimmage as a result of this formation, creating gaps for guys like D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai to take advantage of.
With the run game established in the 13-personnel, that opens the door for play action, which would then allow Williams to make a play for his receiving options, which likely includes at least one of the tight ends. With Loveland and Kmet specifically, mismatches can arise when they are all out there at the same time.
What players would take the field in a 13-personnel? For one, Williams will be out there with one of his running backs. Swift is the ideal player for this, but Monangai is sure to get his fair share of carries as well. It will be a true team effort in that regard.
At wide receiver, Rome Odunze is the man until Luther Burden comes back, which will create more internal competition. Each will have their chance in all situations.
On the offensive line, expect to see Braxton Jones, Joe Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, Jonah Jackson and Darnell Wright when everyone is healthy. They will certainly miss Drew Dalman at center, but this still projects to be a great offensive line that should work well in a system that includes 13-personnel.
Of course, the tight ends are the key. But this is a great support staff as they spend another year implementing what Johnson likes from his offense, which includes these types of packages.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Projecting what a 13-personnel package would look like for Bears