The Bears are on something of a roll. They haven’t lost since Week 2 and a real chance to continue this positive run in a Week 7 home game against the New Orleans Saints.

Playing well as the favorite will be a new challenge, to do what’s supposed to be done against a beatable opponent. The Bears are on a three-game winning streak but not because they’re invincible or playing incredible football.

They are making timely plays and finding ways to win at the end of games. Those are excellent qualities to have, but improvement is required to win consistently.

We’ll explore those topics in our weekly Bair Mail installment, including D’Andre Swift, Ben Johnson, some NFL trade deadline talk and more:

Eric Parker from Edwardsville, Ill.

D’Andre Swift was fun to watch (Monday night)!!!! Can he keep this up?

Bair: Honestly, Eric, time will tell. Swift has been hit and miss earlier this season and seems even more reliant than elite backs on the blockers up front and in the second level for success. I was super impressed by head coach Ben Johnson’s play calling and play design in this win over Washington, with calls intent on finding him space on the edge and within the outside zone.

It worked and seemed to unlock the athleticism of this offensive front. Left guard Joe Thuney was awesome against Washington. Theo Benedet was okay at left tackle but I’d bet he gets better, and right tackle Darnell Wright was really, really good.

If Johnson has the line going well, Swift can carve you up. That’s the formula, I think, of how to get the best out of a veteran who has been super productive at times. His best year was in Philadelphia, with a great line. This Bears offensive line has intriguing pieces but not much time playing together. If they can sync up well as game weeks progress, Swift could be the back the Bears need. That’s not to discredit Swift as a performer; he’s just best with top-tier help up front.

Tracy Richards from Iowa City, Iowa

I’ll keep it simple for you. What has impressed you most about Ben Johnson to this point?

Bair: There’s a lot to choose from, Tracy. He has been a solid culture builder and has provided proof of concept that his demanding style during the work week pays dividends on game day. There’s also the fact that Johnson has the Bears winning when not playing their best football.

Those are good options, but I’m going with his play calling. Johnson is calling smart, effective runs lately. The screen game is being established, as well as the playaction passing. His goal is to run efficiently and keep Williams’ completion percentage high. He’s calling plays to get that done. They aren’t always done right, but the schematics are there and able to push the ball down the field and score lots of points. There should be confidence that execution will improve, but the foundation of a good offense is clearly there.

Doug Biller from Sterling, Ill.

Can Chicago make a run at Tennessee DT Jeffrey Simmons?

Most teams in the league would want an interior defensive player like Jeffrey Simmons. And he plays for the Titans, who are bottoming out and in free-fall mode, so he might be available before the NFL trade deadline. Teams could definitely offer a solid sum that Tennessee might well take, but here’s the issue.

The Bears have lots of money tied into Grady Jarrett, and for good reason. He’s an excellent three-technique who has dealt with some injury issues to start his Bears tenure. Jarrett is a ferocious run defender and a solid pass rusher. Also, he carries a hefty salary-cap charge and dead money penalty if he’s let go before the end of 2026. He’s here to stay, as he should be.

The Bears have also invested in Gervon Dexter, a bigger player who has potential.

Simmons has a massive base salary in 2026 and 2027, and it’s tough to see how the salary-cap allocation works with so much invested in Jarrett already and Dexter due for a raise after 2026 at the latest.

I also don’t think defensive tackle is an area of concern. If the Bears will consider a trade deadline deal, running back seems like an obvious spot, backup edge rusher, too. Also, with Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles under contract for an extended stretch, they’ll be thinking short- and long-term at this deadline.

Greg Moen from DeKalb, Ill.

What happened to Roschon Johnson?

Bair: The third-year pro from Texas actually took his first offensive snap of the season in Week 6, and ended up with a six-yard run. He was also on the field for that critical 4^th-and-1 where the Bears chose to pass and couldn’t complete it.

There was some early belief that Ben Johnson would use Roschon Johnson more often in the offense – he was just a short-yardage runner last year – in 2025. Didn’t happen. Roschon Johnson dealt with a foot injury in camp, but he wasn’t able to earn early carries once healthy again. Roschon Johnson is the biggest runner on staff at 6 feet and 227 pounds, but secondary carries have consistently gone to rookie seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai.

This was the first game after the deep dive into the running game after the bye and Roschon Johnson saw more action, but he might end up a short-yardage guy again.