Chicago Bears vs. 49ers: Which franchise will be competitive first?

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CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 04: Eddie Goldman /

Interior defenders

Eddie Goldman is still on his rookie contract and Akiem Hicks just signed an extension this offseason. This beats most teams. Although, the 49ers at least make it worth debating. DeForest Buckner is exploding onto the scene in his second season, and has been a great draft pick. While Arik Armstead cannot stay healthy, Earl Mitchell and D.J. Jones have been okay as nose tackles. Still, even with Buckner being younger and cheaper than Hicks, the Bears again win this with Goldman being elite at his position.

Edge Rushers

Solomon Thomas is a top-five pick but has just two sacks this season. On the other side, Leonard Floyd is a top ten pick, who was on pace for ten sacks in year two when an MCL injury ended his season. Other than Thomas, the 49ers are not too invested on the edge. Elvis Dumervil, is there, but there is no future. The Bears have Pernell McPhee, but coming from Baltimore, he could be looked at as a younger Dumervil with health issues. Floyd has proven more and has more versatility playing off of the ball. He carries the Bears at a position that both teams should work on.

Linebackers

The 49ers are invested in Ray Ray Armstrong and Reuben Foster. Injury questions keep popping up Foster, but Armstrong seems to be a revelation and a formidable starters. However, Danny Trevathan is the best linebacker of the group. He is also signed on with the Bears for the next two seasons. Jerrell Freeman will be released, but Nick Kwiatkowski and Christan Jones will fight to start beside Trevathan and form a higher upside group than the 49ers.

Secondary

Long Term the only player the Bears are committed to is Eddie Jackson. They might bring back Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara, but that is a complete unknown. They are also are going to learn a lot about Quintin Demps and Adrian Amos soon, but are still unresolved at strong safety.

For the 49ers, they have more pieces tied up. Ahkello Witherspoon is looking like he is becoming a starter. Whatever role Eric Reid, Jaquiski Tartt, and Jimmy Ward have moving forward, they are locked into contracts, and Kauan Williams has not been too bad either. The 49ers have the higher upside in the secondary at this moment.

Conclusion:

The Bears should have the better roster. They are better on the offensive and defensive line. They have the better run game. With Eddie Goldman, Leonard Floyd, Danny Trevathan and Eddie Jackson, they have core pieces at every position.

The two things making the case for the 49ers is the quarterback and the coach. The quarterback should not be an issue. The Bears put in the number two overall pick, the 49ers put in a second round pick. Garoppolo will likely perform better on Sunday. That does not make it a mistake. Yet. Time will tell on that. Mitchell Trubisky will need a much better coach, though.

The biggest question and a reason why the 49ers could be arguably more stable moving forward is the head coach. If the Bears hire a head coach who can highlight the teams skill, they could have a Rams-like turnaround. If not, the 49ers will surpass them quickly as a competitive franchise, and we will be comparing the Bears to the next rebuilding job in three years.

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