No Chicago Bears in NFL’s Network’s Top 100

NFL Network just finished releasing their top 100 players after the 2015 season. The top 100 list in done annually by the NFL and is based solely on votes from current NFL players. The only recent Bear to make this year’s list was running back Matt Forte who was listed at #90, but is now a New York Jet after the Bears didn’t make him an offer this offseason.

There is only so much stock you can put in any list made by just one faction of the league, but the players probably know best since they are the ones in the trenches with these guys all season. I thought Alshon Jeffery, Pernel McPhee, Kyle Long, Danny Trevathan, and even Jay Cutler had a shot showing up somewhere in the back-half of the list, but it’s also a popularity contest and biased towards teams with winning records. That’s the downside of having only one faction vote.

Pro Football Focus released a top 100 list as well for the upcoming season and had both Pernell McPhee (#41) and Alshon Jeffery (#46) in the top half. Those are both surprising rankings based on their injuries and lack of production last season. The potential is there for both players, but they only were healthy for about half the 2015 season, so it’s not surprising they weren’t on the NFL’s  list.

It’s disappointing that the Bears don’t have anyone on the NFL’s top 100 list, but that doesn’t have anything to do with their chance of success this season. I’m shocked three-time Pro Bowl lineman Kyle Long wasn’t on the list, but after a move back to guard I’d be even more surprised if he’s not on the top 100 list next year.

Hopefully, a healthy 2016 season will put both Pernell McPhee and Alshon Jeffery on the NFL’s list as well. The Bears have some young talent that could push for the top 100 next year (Goldman, White, Hicks) but it will take a winning season for the team to get more national recognition for the players.