5 Chicago Bears poised to improve after mini-bye

The Chicago Bears have a chance to take this break between a Thursday game and a game the following Monday to make some changes. Players are able to use this time to get right, and coaches are able to self-scout and take the extra days to improve.

The team does not have their actual bye week for seven more games, so the timing of this extended break could not have been more perfect. Who are five players on the Chicago Bears that may benefit from the most from the time between the Commanders game and the Patriots game?

5. Will Darnell Mooney breakout for the Chicago Bears

Darnell Mooney has been on a bit of a natural ascension anyways, from the first two games when he had just four yards combined. Still, since then he has put 23 yards, 94, 52, and 68. We have at least seen the improvement.

His yards per route run went from 0.36 to -0.25, to 0.96, to 3.03, 1.79, and 1.74. The last three games have obviously been his best. This should be no surprise when you think about the offense having a first-time coordinator and a quarterback entering his second NFL season and second NFL offense.

It was going to take time for Justin Fields and Darnell Mooney to get into a groove. While it may have been worse than fans thought, the last three games have been closer to real expectations.

Still, there is a chance that this can grow. Fields is obviously trusting Mooney more and more, and Mooney has provided so far. The extra time off could help the two go over what they have seen, and what they can do moving forward.

The connection was going to keep ascending, but this is a great time for the Chicago Bears to watch Mooney kick it into high gear.