The 2014 NFL season is upon us and expectations for the Chicago Bears are SKY HIGH! The Chicago Bears had the second ranked offense in 2013 and return all 11 starters. Jay Cutler has a full arsenal including Matt Forte, Martellus Bennett and of course the top wide receiver tandem in the league in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. They return an offensive line that started all 16 games together last season. Despite a training camp injury to Marquess Wilson, the reserves and role players on offense seem to have improved, with Santonio Holmes and veterans like Brian de la Puente and Matthew Mulligan.
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On the other side of the ball, it was almost a complete overhaul. The Bears had the worst defense in franchise history. The defensive line and linebacking corps were decimated by injuries. Phil Emery took multiple avenues to re-stock the defensive coffers. He dipped into the free agent market and added Lamarr Houston, Willie Young and Jared Allen to bolster the defensive line. He invested second and third round draft picks on a couple of defensive tackles, while spending a first round pick on a cornerback and a fourth rounder on a safety. A position change for former first round draft pick and a full year of experience for Jon Bostic and Khaseem Green should help them fit in better.
There are still some questions in the secondary, as the safety position seems unsettled to say the least and a complete disaster to say the worst. 2013 scapegoat Chris Conte will most likely start at free safety if that tells you the state of the group. With a lot of turnover and some key defensive positions in flux, special teams are also undetermined. Two thirds of the placekicking battery will be new, as only kicker Robbie Gould returns. Devin Hester is flying with the Falcons and the return game is still a work in progress.
So with all of that information, our intrepid crew of writers set out to predict all 16 games this upcoming season and give their outlook for the season. Hit Next down below and check out our picks.