Chicago Bears’ 2024 NFL Schedule: Release date, opponents, biggest games, and predictions

The Chicago Bears' once again killed the offseason following Free Agency and the 2024 NFL Draft. From this point on, there are high expectations in Chicago heading into the rest of the offseason program leading up to the 2024 season.

With the draft out of the way, there's one more major offseason event to look forward to in the NFL's schedule release. We already know the Bears' 2024 opponents, but there's still more to learn about the team's upcoming schedule.

Heading into the official release, here's everything we know about the Bears' 2024 slate including which matchups you should be looking forward to.

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Bears' Schedule Release Date

The NFL teased during the draft that schedules will be released in May, although it didn't say an exact date. Based off the last couple of years, it should come out around the middle of May, as it was released on May 12 in 2022 and May 11 in 2023.

Once that comes out, we will update this with the Bears' exact schedule.

Home and Away Opponents

Games played at Soldier Field: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots

Away games: Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Commanders

Biggest Games on the Bears' 2024 Schedule

Every divisional game: The NFC North is incredibly loaded and each matchup is set to be a blood bath between all four teams to determine who will come out on top.

Bears vs. TBD in London: The Bears were chosen by the league as one of the teams competing overseas in 2024 although the date and opponent is still to be determined. All we know is the Bears will be playing in London for the first time since 2019.

Bears at Texans: Caleb Williams vs. C.J. Stroud should be a primetime affair but the actual matchup on the field between Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell against Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon will be fascinating to watch.

Predicting Primetime Matchups and Week 1/Week 18 Opponents

Which games will be primetime viewing?

Including Thursday night, the Black Friday game, Thanksgiving/Christmas, Sunday night, and Monday Night Football there will be plenty of primetime opportunities for the new-look Bears.

Bears/Packers is always a lock to get a primetime game every season as it features the oldest rivalry in the NFL. This year even more eyes will be on this game with the 2024 first overall pick Caleb Williams set to face the Packers' new franchise QB Jordan Love.

I could also see the Bears/Panthers game once again being an early Thursday Night Football matchup. Both teams, with young quarterbacks, could stumble at the start of the season and an early primetime game to see which QB gets on their feet will be enticing. Not to mention the easy broadcast notes regarding the franchise-altering Bears/Panthers trade and DJ Moore facing his former team once again.

Depending on how well the Bears play during Williams' first season at quarterback, the Bears/Texans matchup could even get primetime attention with Williams facing the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud.

Who are the Week 1 and Week 18 opponents?

Normally I would wager the Week 1 game for the Bears would be a divisional matchup but with the Packers playing in Brazil to open the season, it would be unlikely. I do believe the Bears will open the season on the road and the Cardinals seem like a enticing Week 1 game featuring two of the top offensive rookies taking the field for the first time. As for Week 18, the NFL loves scheduling division rivals with playoff implications at the end of the year, so I'm going to say the season will close in Detroit.

Strength of Schedule (based off Vegas win totals, not 2023 record)

Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis every year ranks teams' strength of schedule based off Vegas' projected win totals for the upcoming season. He doesn't base it off the standard last-year's-record model and it makes a lot more sense, because of all the change teams go through during the offseason.

At the time of this publication, he hasn't updated it to reflect Vegas' updated, post-draft totals and we will update this once the information becomes available. Regardless, Sharp has the Bears' SOS as the third-easiest. Only the Falcons and Chargers have easier schedules, as you can see below:

Revenge Games on the Bears' 2024 schedule

• DJ Moore vs. Carolina Panthers: DJ Moore will get a second opportunity to face his former team, this time with a new quarterback. One the Bears used the Panthers' first overall pick to select.
• Montez Sweat returns to Washington: Another repeat game from the 2023 season but one that will have more implications this time around. When the Bears played the Commanders in Week 5, they played against Sweat, who had 1.5 sacks. Now, he's on the other side of the ball playing his former team that traded him.

5 Must-Watch Matchups

• Jaylon Johnson vs. Justin Jefferson: After proving himself to be one of the top cornerbacks in the league, Jaylon Johnson will once again get two opportunities to prove he was worth the money. Justin Jefferson missed both matchups against the Bears in 2023 but will likely be back on the field this time around.
• Darnell Wright vs. Aidan Hutchinson: This is set to be an annual war between these two young players. I would consider the two matchups to be a tie the first time around in 2023 but we all know Darnell Wright is ready for this one-on-one.
• Tremaine Edmunds/T.J. Edwards vs. 49ers Skill Weapons: The 49ers passing attack of Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey loves attacking the middle of the field, which will be a big challenge for the Bears' LB duo.
• Montez Sweat vs. Penei Sewell: Sweat will get two opportunities to face the new highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL in Lions' right tackle Penei Sewell. Sweat had 2.0 sacks in 2 games against the Lions in 2023, he's looking for more.
• DJ Moore/Keenan Allen/Rome Odunze vs Packers Secondary: Both the Bears' wide receiver room and the Packers' secondary have been overhauled this offseason. Meaning DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze will have to face Jaire Alexander, Keisean Nixon, Eric Stokes, and Xavier McKinney twice in 2024.

Related: Bears' way-too-early 53-man roster projection: 5 prominent rookies and UDFA surprise join the already loaded roster