As the Bears closed the season with a 29-13 loss to the Vikings, they knew they were assured of the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft thanks to the Texans’ 32-31 upset of the Colts.
They also had their 2023 opponents finalized by the end of the day. Here’s who the Bears will face next season, when they’ll play eight games at Soldier Field and nine on the road:
HomePackersVikingsLionsFalconsPanthersBroncosRaidersRams/Cardinals
AwayPackersVikingsLionChiefsChargersSaintsBuccaneersCommandersBrownsApart from their division games, the Bears are on rotation to face the entire NFC South with home games against the Falcons and Panthers and visits to the Saints and Buccaneers.
Their interconference division is the AFC West with home games against the Broncos and Raiders and away games against the Chiefs and Chargers.
Their remaining three games are the same-place finishers from the NFC West and East and the AFC North. Since the Bears finished last in the NFC North, they’ll host the Rams or Cardinals — both teams are playing now; the Rams are 5-11 and the Cardinals are 4-12 — and visit the Commanders and Browns.
This will be the first time the Bears have played a last-place schedule since 2018, when they went 12-4 and won the division.