5 players who can make or break the Chicago Bears success in 2022

The Chicago Bears are one of the many great unknowns of the 2022 NFL season. The team is in a changing of the guard situation and Ryan Poles has already made drastic changes. We already discussed how the team has gone from one of the oldest teams in the NFL to one of the youngest. I’d expect that to continue beyond the 2022 season, but with all the new faces, the new coaching staff, and the scheme changes to both the offense and defense, no one truly knows what to expect with this team.

Right now, on paper, I can understand the hesitation to believe in this team. However, the schedule is not as difficult this season as it was last season. Not to mention, no one knows what’s going to happen in regards to the offense specifically. Justin Fields had a rough rookie season but showed enough flashes to believe he is going to be great. Will that jump happen this season though? Only time will tell.

What I can tell you is that there are five players on the roster who need to step up or this team is in for a world of hurt in 2022.

This Chicago Bears player could make or break the season: Justin Fields, QB

The most obvious player is Justin Fields. We can get him out of the way early. Fields struggled statistically in many ways in 2021. It did not help that he was not given the reps he needed to start the season, but there are plenty of things he did wrong that he needs to be held accountable for. First, his fumbles are a big concern. Fields had 12 fumbles in 2021. Some may say it was due to him trying to do too much with the ball when plays broke down. It’s still not acceptable.

The second was his interceptions. Fields threw only seven touchdowns last year but threw 10 interceptions. To be fair, not all of those were his fault, but it’s not acceptable. We saw enough flashes, especially with Fields’ downfield throws, to feel optimistic about his growth from year one to year two though. I’ve been a proponent of his since before he was drafted and I’m not going to change now.

Fields will be a great quarterback in the NFL — that is my prediction. Honestly, I think he becomes the best quarterback in franchise history. Not a high bar, I know. If Fields is able to take a leap from his 2021 production, then this is the most important player to watch. The team’s success will rest on his shoulders.