Entering the 1996 NFL season, Dave Wannstedt's Chicago Bears carried reasonable playoff expectations following an 9-7 campaign. The front office made splashy offseason moves to bolster the roster, adding marquee free agent linebacker Bryan Cox alongside tight end Kerry Cash and veteran quarterback Dave Krieg, while selecting defensive back Walt Harris and receiver Bobby Engram in the draft. However, a promising 22-6 opening night victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys quickly gave way to inconsistency. Chicago stumbled through frustrating losing skids, to end the year at 7-9 and third in the NFC Central. Missing the postseason entirely, the franchise found itself caught in standard mid-1990s purgatory - too flawed to compete with Green Bay, yet far too talented to completely collapse.

The offense operated as a balanced unit that ranked 21st in total yards with 4,905 and 26th in scoring with 283 points (17.7 ppg). Injuries struck early when starting quarterback Erik Kramer was lost after just four games, forcing the 38-year-old Krieg into 12 starts. Krieg managed 2,278 passing yards with 14 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. Primary target Curtis Conway provided explosive perimeter play, racking up 81 receptions for 1,049 yards and seven touchdowns. Michael Timpson added 62 catches for 802 yards, while rookie Engram chipped in six touchdown grabs. The ground game sputtered to 3.6 yards per carry, as Raymont Harris led the backfield with 748 rushing yards in 12 games while 1995 Heisman winner Rashaan Salaam managed just 496 yards.

Chicago's defense carried the heavier load, finishing 12th overall in both total yards allowed surrendering 4,884 and points allowed conceding 305 (19.1 ppg). Defensive end Alonzo Spellman anchored the front line with a team-high 8.0 sacks, while defensive tackle Jim Flanigan added 5.0 sacks. Free agent acquisition Bryan Cox brought ferocious energy to middle linebacker, recording 59 tackles and three sacks in nine games. Strong safety Marty Carter led the team with 101 total tackles, and veteran cornerback Donnell Woolford paced the secondary with six interceptions. Rookie cornerback Walt Harris immediately asserted himself, starting 13 games, forcing three fumbles, and recording 98 tackles alongside two interceptions.

The season was defined by erratic swings. Following the high-water mark against Dallas in Week 1, the Bears dropped three straight games to Washington, Minnesota, and Detroit. A midseason stretch saw them drop close decisions to Denver and Kansas City, leaving them sitting at a dismal 5-8 entering December. They briefly revived their season with back-to-back dominant home wins over the St. Louis Rams (35-9) and San Diego Chargers (27-14). However, any lingering faint postseason hopes evaporated in the season finale, a non-competitive 34-19 road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ultimately, the 1996 Chicago Bears linger as a forgotten team in the organization's history. They featured high-priced veteran stopgaps mixed with promising young core talents like Conway, Harris, and Engram. The sub-.500 finish marked the second losing season of Wannstedt's tenure, signaling the beginning of the end for his regime in Soldier Field. While no Bears players earned major individual awards or All-Pro accolades, the season served as a transitional year that underscored the growing gap between Chicago and their division-champion rivals in Green Bay.