5 Chicago Bears players who will make or break the 2024 season 

The Chicago Bears are one of the more exciting teams in the NFL right now. They are on Hard Knocks, they have the number one pick, a bunch of new skill players, and a city that is thirsty for a good team. While the roster is ready to compete, there are a few players who could change the ceiling of the team, for better or for worse. 

Who will determine how good the Bears are in 2024?

5. The Chicago Bears are heavily reliant on Gervon Dexter

It is hard to find a list of important Bears in 2024 without mentioning Gervon Dexter. The thing is that while the team needs Dexter as much, or more than any other player on the roster, he is a player that we truly have no idea what we are going to get. 

Dexter played 40% of the snaps last year. For comparison, Justin Jones played 69%, and you could argue that will be a low projection because this year the starter does not have the same type of depth behind him. So, we can say that Dexter will be playing roughly 30% more of the snaps this year than he did last year. He may even double the rate at which he was on the field. 

So, Dexter looked good in spurts. The Bears also used him in pass-rush situations and typically pulled him against the run. 

There is a scenario where Dexter explodes and has a breakout season. The Bears lack of depth along the defensive line is fine and their pass rush becomes a feared one. There is a world where Dexter is a liability in the run game, and teams can maneuver the ball down the field on this defense. His pass rush does not work once linemen get tape on him, and he is still hit or miss out of the gates. The pass rush never formulates because they are playing guys who were cut and traded for nothing right before the season over their second-round pick. Both things are on the table right now.