Bears at Patriots outlook
By: Jake Rajala
The NFL season is on the horizon. It felt like the draft was yesterday. With that said, I want to discuss a pivotal game in Week 1. It’s the Bears at the Panthers. I’m going to lay out five players to watch in Week 1.
Luther Burden
Ben Johnson said he’s buying Luther Burden stock in 2026. He had 652 yards last season in 15 games. With Johnson unpacking more plays and Burden cleaning up his technique, the sky is the limit for him. Interestingly, Burden had a 79.3 PFF grade last season. DJ Moore also took a step back last season, so it’s time to put more trust in Burden.
Jaelan Phillips
Panthers nation is static for their introduction of Jaelan Phillips. He unleashed five sacks, seven TFLs, and 15 QB hits between Philly and Miami last season. Ejiro Evero has raved about his ability, per Cat Crave. He said, “He’s really, really fast. There’s not a lot of humans in this world that are that big, and that can move the way he does. The first thing that stands out about him is the football character. I mean the way he is in the classroom, he’s a great teammate. When it’s time to do the work and be about the business, he’s certainly the best at that.”
Gervon Dexter Sr.
Don’t lose sight of the talent of DT Gervon with DE Montez Sweat capturing most of the attention on the DL. He had six sacks, five stuffs, and 44 combined tackles. He had six tackles for loss. I would like to see that number bigger next season. If he isn’t making the play, he’s using his 6’6, 300 pound frame to open up plays for his teammates.
Chuba Hubbard
The Panthers no longer have Rico Dowdle. There’s a lot of pressure for Chuba Hubbard to handle the increased load. Chuba is a bully with the football. He only had 511 rushing yards last season. However, he recorded 1,195 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs in 2024. Perhaps he can bring some magic back from a couple of seasons ago.
Devin Bush
Devin Bush had his best season yet in 2025. The former Cleveland Brown notched 125 combined tackles, seven TFLs, and two interceptions for touchdowns. PFF handed him a very impressive grade of 87.6, which was fourth among LBs. Devin Bush should be happy that he played at a high level in a division that had the team that drafted him.
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