7 players the Chicago Bears are rebuilding around for 2023 and beyond
By Peter Jurich
Heading into their Week 14 bye, the Chicago Bears sit at 3-10 and many fans and pundits are already looking toward Chicago’s plans for the offseason. The Bears currently are slated to get the number three overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The team also has over $100 million available to spend in free agency. Needless to say, the Bears have plenty of resources to improve this roster.
The 2022 season was supposed to be this bad for Chicago
The Bears’ roster definitely has some holes on paper. Matt Eberflus and general manager, Ryan Poles cleared out most of the veterans from this team over the summer and at the trade deadline. The 2022 season seems in hindsight a trial season for a lot of young players while practically guaranteeing a good draft pick. The Bears have clearly been tanking this season, with the one-win Houston Texans the sole team with a worse record than the Bears, as this roster does not seem to stack up well against even average NFL teams.
The Chicago Bears have looked good at times throughout this season on offense and defense respectively, but both units have struggled to stay consistent for the entirety of a game. While there are many players on this roster who are probably being asked to do more than they are capable of, this team does contain a handful of talented, young players who serve as bright spots for the fans and the organization in regard to the future of the Bears.
As the Chicago Bears enter the bye week and prepare for the last four games of the 2022 season, there are plenty of players who have the opportunity to cement their status as a starter or contributors for the Bears in 2023 and beyond.
Specifically, these seven players are not only expected to continually improve as this season winds down but should be the cornerstones of the franchise due to their age, position, production, and the capital needed to acquire them. These players should be the focus of the Bears’ remaining games, and fans should watch these players to see the general direction of this franchise in the next few years.