25 most valuable players on 2022 Chicago Bears
5. Cody Whitehair
Last Year: 5
2020 Ranking: 5
Cody Whitehair being five the last three years we have this solidifies what he Is to this team. Some may think he should finally drop-down, and his play over the past two years has started to show some kinks in his armor.
At the same time, the reason Montgomery is six is almost the exact reason Whitehair is five. This line would be an absolute disaster without Cody Whitehair. His experience, the fact that he can step into multiple roles, and the lack of depth behind him drive this home.
The team may not be able to hold up without Whitehair; who would even be his backup at this point? Ja’Tyre Carter? David Montgomery is worse without Whitehair, but Whitehair is going to be what he is whether it is Montgomery or Herbert, that shows his value.
4. Robert Quinn
Last Season: 21
2020 Ranking: 7
Robert Quinn may not even be much longer, so ranking was hard. Still, 18.5 sacks last season has to get you pretty high. Beyond that, if they lose Quinn, they are suddenly overly reliant on Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Dominique Robinson would be thrust into a much bigger role than expected.
Of course,we also know how valuable pass rushers are, so this ranking is justified.
3. Darnell Mooney
2020 Ranking: 32
Mooney has continued to leap up the roster ranking from 32 into the top 10, and now as a top 3 player. Some of this has to do with the factors around him. No other receivers are trusted or have any on-field chemistry with Justin Fields.
If Mooney goes down, this room loses steam quickly. He is a third-year player with stats that speak to a possible breakout, and his stats could be better had his QB play improved. This is a player who could blow up.
2. Roquan Smith
Last Year 3
2020 Ranking 9
The leader of the defense. As noted with Nicholas Morrow, any talk of him taking play calling away from Smith is actually good for Smith. It means he is attacking while Morrow directs traffic and holds down the middle.
This could be a bigger development than some realize. Beyond that, if you had to bet on Roquan Smith get extended or David Montgomery, you would bet that Smith comes in first. We will see, it should come before the season starts.
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1. Justin Fields
Last Year: 4
Some fans will complain that Justin Fields has not done enough to earn this ranking, which is totally fair. His rookie season was poor. Still, as noted in others, this is about how valuable each player is to wins and losses next season. The Bears go as Fields goes.
The Bears’ record will show if Fields is a bust next season. If he is a star, the Bears’ record will show it. This is true with Fields more than any player. If fans can get clarity on any player, or if they can walk away saying at least they trust in Fields, the rest of the roster hardly matters, especially with Poles getting ready to have a ton of cap space, and his normal slot of draft picks.
We could see other players drop next year just because the roster got more depth. One thing we will not see is Justin Fields falling down much farther as long as he stays the starter.