The Chicago Bears are technically past the halfway point of the year now, but with a quick turn from week nine to ten, they flew past the halfway point and are now onto the second side.
Still, with ten games down and the Chicago Bears having a mini-break between games, it is a good time to look back at the previous ten and see what players were the biggest surprises, disappointments, and more. What were the most pleasant surprises?
5. The Chicago Bears are winning the Carolina Panthers trade in a big way
The Chicago Bears kept Justin Fields, which can be questioned. However, no one can question what Ryan Poles got back when he traded the number one overall pick. This could be a trade that becomes the strongest in recent history.
First, the Bears got D.J. Moore. Moore is currently the best player on the Chicago Bears and one of the only things that makes the offense go. At his age and at the status of Bears wideouts, there is a chance that Moore will go down as the most productive receiver in franchise history.
That could especially happen if the other big asset that the Bears got back from Carolina is a franchise-changing quarterback. Carolina traded up for Bryce Young and lost a future first-round pick. We knew that pick would be high, but as we stand, the Panthers have the best chance to end the year picking first overall, especially with Kyler Murray healthy for the Cardinals. The pick will be top-five at worst.
The Bears used pieces of the package to get Tyrique Stevenson, who starts for the team as well. This trade will change the franchise forever, and right now, that looks like it will be a good thing.
4. The Chicago Bears have a couple of building blocks on the offensive line
One of the big things that the Bears needed to do this offseason was establish pieces on the offensive line. It took some time, but after ten weeks, it looks like there are some pieces in place.
Darnell Wright was a hit in the top ten. The Bears passed on Jalen Carter, who looks great, but it does not look like they passed on him for a bust.
Wright has taken on names such as Rashan Gary, Montez Sweat, Shaq Barrett, George Karlaftis, Danielle Hunter, Maxx Crosby, Cameron Jordan, and Joey Bosa. He has had ups and downs, but those are big names that he has handled.
The only question with Teven Jenkins right now is whether he should stay at right guard or whether he can be a stud on either side. Jenkins returned from injury in week five, and the run game immediately improved. With Jenkins next to Wright, the right side of the line is heavy and ready to plow people over downhill.
Braxton Jones has only played four games. However, Thursday was one of the best of his career, and he looks like he can stick around as a building block at left tackle. Nate Davis has had small spurts and moments when he is not hurt, either.
The Chicago Bears blatantly ignoring center is insane, but they have a lot of the other pieces in place. They can finish this line in the offseason.
3. The Chicago Bears defense is getting better
The Chicago Bears defense looked like a complete disaster in week one. When the Chiefs hung 41 points on them, they were banged up, and they did not have a defensive coordinator, it looked like there were no signs of progress.
However, things slowly turned around. The playcalling improved, and the personnel got healthier. They also upgraded with Montez Sweat.
The secondary started and finished a game together with their best five for the first time all season. With Montez Sweat, the Bears are able to move DeMarcus Walker around more. It allows them to use better run defense and pass-rush groupings.
The run defense went from an embarrassment and one of the worst in the NFL to one of the best in the NFL right now. The pass defense gets better every week. This is what we thought would happen with the defense this year. It took a few weeks, but the unit looks good after ten weeks.
2. The Chicago Bears are seeing the best of Jaylon Johnson
The Chicago Bears needed to see the best out of Jaylon Johnson this year. They wanted to pay him like a number one cornerback, but he needed to show that he could do everything that a top cornerback could do. After four or five weeks, it looked like that would not be the case, but that was mainly due to health. Now that he is healthy, he is looking like he deserves a big contract.
Johnson has sticky coverage, but he leans heavily towards zone coverage and usually just plays his one side. He also did not have any interception numbers to look at.
Johnson doubled his interception numbers with two against the Las Vegas Raiders, including his first career pick-six for a touchdown.
Against the Carolina Panthers, he followed Adam Thielen around and even spent eight snaps in the slot against Thielen. He had a great game.
Johnson has been targeted just 19 times since week six, and he has allowed 68 yards. That is just 13 yards per game. Teams are now treating him like a number one, and he is playing like one. What a great surprise.
1. Cole Kmet is breaking out for the Chicago Bears
When the Chicago Bears extended Cole Kmet, the thought was that at his age, his trajectory and the nature of the tight end position would lead to his best days being ahead. That projection was completely correct.
Kmet is on pace for a career year. He is averaging 42 yards per game. His career-high before this was 36, and his career rate was 30 yards per game. He is providing much more than that.
His career-high in touchdowns is seven, and he has five through ten games. He just needs three in the next seven weeks to hit that career high.
Even better than all of that is seeing his success rate of 66.7%, which is much higher than his career rate of 56.3% and his old career-high which is 59.4%.
He has always been a sound blocker, but now he is providing much more as a pass catcher. He has proven to be reliable and is consistently open. Cole Kmet is living up to his contract.