5 reasons the Chicago Bears can win the NFC North
It's been a long wait, but the NFL regular season is finally here. It's the one time of year when every team's fanbase is optimistic about their chances, and who can blame them? As Jerry Glanville once famously said, the NFL stands for "Not For Long," but as this league has shown us time and again, that can also apply to teams that finished in the basement the previous season.
Enter the Chicago Bears. The not-so-proud owners of last year's worst record, the Bears are hoping for a worst-to-first turnaround of their own, and there are reasons to be optimistic.
Bears GM Ryan Poles was one of the big winners of this past April's draft, addressing the team's deficiencies on offense and defense while also laying the groundwork for a huge draft in 2024. There's an argument to be made that each of the Bears' NFC North competitors will be worse this season, and with an infusion of talent, the Bears have nowhere to go but up. Here are five reasons why the Bears can shock the world and win the division.
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is ready to make the leap
It all starts with QB1. The Bears' franchise quarterback endured a shaky, injury-filled rookie season under former head coach Matt Nagy, but he emerged last year to become one of the NFL's most electric playmakers under Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
Fields' detractors will point out that most of his highlights last year came via his legs, and even with his game-breaking runs, the Bears still finished at the bottom of the league. To them, I would retort that Fields got markedly better in the second half of the year, and it's not his fault that he couldn't overcome the Bears' worst defense in the league.
It also can't be ignored that Fields was playing with the worst receiving corps in the NFL. Darnell Mooney was miscast as a #1 and missed the final six weeks with an ankle injury. Chase Claypool arrived midseason and struggled to a) stay healthy and b) integrate into the offense. Dante Pettis and Equanimeous St. Brown were often the top two wideouts on the field, and it's difficult to argue that they'd be more than a #4 for most teams. Velus Jones was a non-factor. For God's sake, the receiving situation was so bad that Bears fans were excited about the arrival of N'Keal Harry!
Tight end Cole Kmet led the team in receiving yards with just 544, but he looked like one of the most dangerous tight ends in the league in the second half of the season. The Bears locked him up this offseason on a long-term deal.
D.J. Moore's arrival is going to help take Fields to the next level. Moore has impressed from the minute he arrived at Halas Hall, and his presence gives the Bears a true #1 receiver for the first time in years. He took his first touch of the preseason to the house for a 62-yard score, and his route-running ability will lead to plenty of easy throws for Fields.
The Bears allowed 58 sacks last year, but they invested heavily in the offensive line this offseason, first signing Nate Davis from the Titans to play right guard, then drafting Darnell Wright in the first round to play right tackle. Left tackle Braxton Jones was one of the steals of the 2021 draft, locking down the left tackle spot. Now in his second year, he should be even better.
Fields played on instinct last year. The offensive line couldn't pass block, and when the pocket became muddled, he tucked it and ran, using his athleticism to keep the Bears in games. Knowing the Bears didn't have quality receiving weapons, Getsy protected Fields with his playcalling, limiting him to the 27th most pass attempts in the NFL.
The Bears aren't going to become the trigger-happy Chiefs this year, but with the addition of Moore, an improved offensive line, and a rejuvenated (and healthy) Chase Claypool, Fields will get to showcase his arm much more. Also watch out for rookie halfback Roschon Johnson to make the most of his role as a passing down back. Fields' evolution into a true dual-threat quarterback is the biggest reason the Bears could win the division.