Khalil Mack

Chicago Bears: Reality now sets in after loss to Packers

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The scoreboard may look closer than expected but one takeaway from the Chicago Bears‘ loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon is the Bears still have a lot of work to do. After opening the game with an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with rookie running back Khalil Herbert scoring a one-yard rushing touchdown, the Bears’ offense stalled in the second and third quarter.

With two straight wins, Chicago seemed to be riding a hot hand heading into this week, showing some signs of hope that the Bears could knock off the Packers at home for an upset win. Instead, Aaron Rodgers had other plans in what could be his final game at Soldier Field as a member of the Packers.

Chicago scored just once in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to just three points. Rodgers and the Packers offense would then

While the Bears’ defense did sack Rodgers three times, the Bears’ offense struggled to get anything going when it was just a three-point game. Fields did show some maturation on a 10-play drive in the fourth quarter, hitting wide receiver Allen Robinson and tight end Cole Kmet for 20 and 21-yard passes on back-to-back plays to move the chains.

Rookie running back Herbert was a bright spot on Chicago’s offense. After getting the nod as starter, Herbert rushed 19 times for 97 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. The sixth-round pick broke off a big run for 25 yards to give the Bears some momentum in the first quarter on a drive that would end in a questionable interception by Fields.

Chicago now drops to 3-3 through the first six games for the third time in the last four years under head coach Matt Nagy. The story seems to remain the same for Nagy’s Bears. Over the last four seasons, the Bears have beaten average teams but struggled to get past good teams in the NFC. Losses to the Rams and Packers further prove the Bears have a long way to go in order to close any sort of talent gap in the NFC North.

Chicago Bears: Aaron Rodgers praises the Bears defense

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Ahead of the Chicago Bears Week 6 matchup against the division-rival Green Bay Packers, the Bears will welcome Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to town for potentially the last time. Rodgers, who’s become a defining factor in the NFL’s most storied rivalry over the last few years has seen plenty of Bears defenses throughout his tenure.

Through five games in 2021, Chicago is allowing just 20 points per game, good for 7th overall in the NFL. Pass rushers Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn have combined for 9.5 sacks, while Roquan Smith has 50 tackles. Chicago currently has 18 sacks, leading the NFL while allowing eight yards per pass attempt.

“Yeah I mean they’re a great defense, they’ve always been, been a solid defense over the years,” Rodgers told Packers reporters on Wednesday. “It’s some familiar names who are studs and, and you know Robert Quinn’s having a nice season, getting after the quarterback. Obviously, Khalil (Mack) is still one of the top players in the league. Akiem Hicks, when healthy, is as disruptive as he possibly can be. Roquan (Smith) has emerged as a top-tier linebacker, I mean he’s kind of been in that position since he got in the league but he’s steadily improved every single year. He’s a complete linebacker. Backend is very solid, they’ve got some younger players but they’ve definitely improved and been playing well.”

For Rodgers to praise the Bears defense isn’t anything new but we must also keep in mind that the Bears have beat Green Bay just once since 2018. For many, the Bears drafting Justin Fields, combined with 2021 potentially being Rodgers’ final season with the Packers means a changing of the guard could soon be happening in the NFC North.

Chicago’s defense will look to be competitive on Sunday afternoon and employ a bend-don’t-break type mentality. The Bears may not be able to stop Rodgers entirely, instead the focus will shift to neutralizing Rodgers as much as possible, hoping the Bears offense can complement the defense by moving the football and scoring enough points to win the game.

 

Chicago Bears: Week 5 wrap up, takeaways, and week 6 preview

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justin field, bears

With week 5 officially in the book for the Chicago Bears, let’s breakdown everything as Chicago leaves Las Vegas with a win. The Bears are over .500 for the first time since December 27th, 2020, a stat that doesn’t look noticeable to many but should be considered noteworthy as the Bears are on a two-game winning streak.

1) No David Montgomery, no problem for the Bears running game. Running backs Khalil Herbert and Damien Williams combine for 34 carries, 139 rushing yards, and one touchdown. Herbert and Williams averaged 4.1 yards per carry, which means the Bears running game shouldn’t miss a beat with David Montgomery out for the foreseeable future.

2) Speaking of Damien Williams, he’s been a sneaky good option for the Bears as a receiver this year. Williams averaged 10 yards per reception on Sunday, his highest of the season. Williams has continued to be an impact player for the Bears despite playing behind Montgomery.

3) Khalil Mack got his revenge game. The Bears pass rusher was all over the field on Sunday afternoon, quieting any doubters who used sack production as a means of saying Mack was too old or overpaid. The eighth-year pass rusher now has five sacks on the season and was constantly in the face of Raiders quarterback Derek Carr on Sunday, including sacking Carr on a two-point conversion attempt, giving the Bears an eight-point advantage.

4) Linebacker Alec Ogletree seemed to play more than Danny Trevathan, who made his season debut had just three tackles. Trevathan played just 15 percent of snaps on defense, while Ogletree played 52 percent of snaps. Two possibilities exist when looking at Trevathan’s decreased snap count in his season debut: The Bears are easing Trevathan back from a knee injury or Ogletree legitimately played well enough during Trevathan’s absence, impressing the coaching staff enough to hold down the starting job.

5) Safety Eddie Jackson seemed revitalized when speaking to the media during his postgame press conference. The Bears secondary still has communication issues to hammer out but Jackson was clearly proud of the way the Bears secondary performed. Wide receiver Henry Ruggs and tight end Darren Waller had just seven receptions combined.

6) Chicago rushing defense limited the Raiders to just 3.2 yards per carry, just the second time this season the Bears have allowed just under 3.5 yards per carry. The other time was week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams. Despite missing Akiem Hicks in week 5, the Bears rush defense was more than solid, proving that the defensive line is playing at a high level.

7) One area of concern for the Bears is the lack of finishing opponents off. Week 5 marked the third time this season the Bears had the opportunity to put Raiders away but failed to do so. Cairo Santos’ two field goals in the fourth quarter helped but Santos’ first field goal came on the end of a 10 play, 57-yard drive that lasted just over six minutes. Field goals are fine with a lead but touchdowns usually end up being the final blow when putting opponents away for good.

8) Justin Fields threw the ball just 20 times against the Raiders, completing just 12 passes. At some point, the Bears need to open up the offense more and allow Fields to throw the ball more, especially with two tough games against the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming up.

9) The Robert Quinn revenge tour continues. The 11th-year veteran wasted no time getting involved on Sunday afternoon, tackling Raiders running back Josh Jacobs for no gain on Las Vegas’ first offensive play. Quinn didn’t register a sack but still made his presence felt, consistently generating pressure. Fun fact: Quinn’s play in 2021 has earned him a grade of 75.2 from Pro Football Focus.

10) The Bears are good but not good enough on third down. Chicago converted 46 percent of third downs on Sunday, still eclipsing the Bears season average of 32.75 percent. The Bears do need to improve in this area to ensure the offense can keep stacking up strong performances together.

Looking ahead to week 6

The Green Bay Packers are coming to town and there’s something different about this Bears-Packers matchup. Maybe it’s the Justin Fields effect but the Bears have been playing well enough to warrant hanging with the Packers and making this a slugfest. Green Bay narrowly escaped the Cincinnati Bengals on the road in week 5, with Packers kicker Mason Crosby missing three potential game-winning field goals.

The Bears’ secondary will have its hands full trying to slow down Aaron Rodgers and Packers wide receiver Devante Adams but Green Bay’s secondary is also banged up with star cornerback Jaire Alexander unlikely to play, while CB Kevin King is injured too.

Matt Nagy has never beat Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and the Bears have beaten the Packers just once since 2018. With Rodgers not expected to return in 2022, the NFC North crown is wide open and for a changing of the guard to begin, the Bears will need to come away with a win on Sunday afternoon.

Chicago Bears beat Las Vegas Raiders in Khalil Mack revenge game

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justin field, bears, matt nagy

Five weeks into the 2021 NFL regular season, the Chicago Bears are over .500 for the first time since December 27th, 2020. Chicago jumped out to an early 14-3 lead in the first half before stalling in the third quarter. The Bears would then add on two field goals in the fourth quarter, courtesy of kicker Cairo Santos.

Notable moments from the Bears win included rookie quarterback Justin Fields hitting tight end Jesper Horsted for a two-yard touchdown pass, giving Fields his first NFL touchdown. Running back Damien Williams scored again in the second quarter to cap off a 16 play, 86 yard drive that took nearly eight minutes off the clock.

Bears outside linebacker, Khalil Mack, who was acquired from the Raiders for two first-round picks just one week before the start of the 2018 season had a nice revenge game against his former team. Mack totaled eight tackles, one sack, and one tackle for loss. The eighth-year pro made a key stop on the Raiders only touchdown of the afternoon, sacking Raiders quarterback Derek Carr on a two-point conversion attempt.

Rookie running back Khalil Herbert, usually a returner on special teams, had a solid outing as a running back. The sixth-round draft pick rushed 18 times for 75 yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Herbert used extended playing time to prove that he could be a part of the Bears’ offense moving forward, especially with injuries to veterans David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen.

Chicago’s defense was stout on third down, going 5-for-14, including a stop just before the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. Sean Desai once again called a solid game as veterans like outside linebacker Robert Quinn get involved early and often, setting the tone quickly for a unit that’s continued to stack strong performances on top of each other.

What’s next for the Bears? The Green Bay Packers will come to town for a week 6 showdown. With both teams riding a winning streak, Bears-Packers next week is sure to provide plenty of entertainment.

Chicago Bears: Week 4 wrap up, quick takeaways, and week 5 preview

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justin field, bears

After winning at home in week 4, the Chicago Bears improve to 2-2 on the season with solid performances from rookie quarterback Justin Fields, running back David Montgomery, wide receiver Darnell Mooney, and the Bears defense. Let’s look back at week 4.

1) Head coach Matt Nagy admitted after the game that offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was calling plays. Guess what? Lazor calling plays should be part of the Bears gameplan moving forward. The Bears were efficient on offense, running and passing the ball effectively, being a threat to score on every single play.

2) Fields deep ball was a thing of beauty. A quarterback capable of hitting any throw, Fields connected with wide receiver Darnell Mooney for a 32-yard gain down the sideline with just 10:54 remaining in the third quarterback. The two also connected three times on the Bears first drive for 29 yards. Fields excels at hitting the deep ball and the Bears need to get more explosive on offense, so expect to see more of the Fields-Mooney connection as the season progresses.

3) Shoutout to running backs David Montgomery and Damien Williams. The two combined for 31 carries, 161 yards, and three touchdowns. Montgomery did injure his knee and as we await the results of a scheduled MRI, should the 2019 third-round pick end up missing time, the Bears will turn to rookie running back Khalil Herbert to complement Williams.

4) The Robert Quinn revenge tour continues. Despite being 31-years old, Quinn had five tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits. With 4.5 sacks on the season, Quinn has upgraded the Bears pass rush this season, justifying the five-year, $70M contract the Bears dished out to Quinn in free agency during the 2020 offseason.

5) Can we talk about the sneaky good game that inside linebacker Alec Ogletree had? A late training camp addition, Ogletree has quickly emerged as a solid piece for the Bears defense and totaled 12 tackles and one tackle for loss on Sunday. The veteran is making a strong case for keeping the starting ILB job once Danny Trevathan returns.

6) The Bears did struggle on third down, going just 1-for-8. But as Nagy mentioned in his postgame presser, the Bears did avoid multiple third-and-long situations, which should be considered a step in the right direction. Chicago’s offense is still a work in progress and the Bears can’t afford to make many mistakes, so going 1-for-8 is still better than what the Bears have done in the past.

7) Justin Fields needs to get better at protecting the football. His first and only fumble of the afternoon came in the second half but this is the second time at home this season that Fields has lost a fumble. The 11th overall pick lost one against the Cincinnait Bengals in week 2 but recovered it to save the Bears offense.

8) Chicago averaged 6.5 yards per play on Sunday, the most yards per play Chicago has averaged this season and the highest since week 14 of the 2020 season, when the Bears averaged 6.9 yards per play against the Houston Texans at home in a 36-7 win.

9) Fields credited the Bears offensive line on four different occasions during his postgame press conference and Chicago’s front five rightfully earned it. The offensive line allowed just one sack all afternoon, compared to week three, where the entire unit allowed nine sacks.

10) The Bears were better in the redzone too, scoring on three occasions with four total redzone trips. The field gets harder to defend when a defense is back up against the ball and the Bears took advantage with smart playcalling, running the ball every time Chicago converted.

 

What about week five?

Week 5 is sure to be interesting. The Bears will travel to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders, with this being the second time both team’s have met since 2019. It’s another Khalil Mack revenge game, considering the Raiders got the best of Mack in 2019 during the last matchup in London.

Bears fans like to make fun of Raiders head coach Jon Gruden for trading Mack back in 2018 but Gruden also has the Raiders offense averaging 30.0 points per game. The Bears secondary will be tested in this game. Quarterback Derek Carr has passed for 435, 382, and 386 yards in three games this season.

The Bears will need to account for the Raiders skill position players, including tight end Darren Waller, wide receiver Henry Ruggs, and running back Josh Jacobs, who is listed as questionable for Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Chicago does enter another must-win game. Win in Las Vegas and Fields, who could start for the third straight week will enter week 6 against the Green Bay Packers at home with a major boost in confidence. The Bears will have a chance to get to 3-2 before having to play Green Bay and then travel to Tampa Bay in week 7 to take on the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers.

 

Chicago Bears: Week 3 wrap up, quick tidbits, and more

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After a week three loss the Chicago Bears will officially turn the page and look forward to week four against the Detroit Lions. But before Chicago welcomes Detroit to Soldier Field for a divisional showdown, let’s look back at week 3.

 

1) First things first, let’s talk about first downs. The Bears had just six, which is the fewest of the Matt Nagy era. Not a good showing for a team that’s led by an offensive guru at head coach.

2) Some positives? The Bears pass rush duo of Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn got going, combining for 3.5 total sacks. Quinn now has more sacks in three games with the Bears than he did all of last season. Chicago is finally seeing the returns that the franchise hoped when signing Quinn to a five-year deal worth $70M in free agency in 2020.

3) “I obviously as a head coach did not do a good enough job of getting this offense ready to go, to be able to play and win a football game,” said Nagy after the game. “It starts with me, it ends with me and it’s as simple as that.”

Nagy’s quote is merely a head coach who’s taking the bullet while being open and honest. But there’s still a lot of work to be done. Everything does start and end with Nagy, which means he’ll need to cater gameplans to Justin Fields skillset, something that wasn’t done in week three.

For anyone who’s trying to get #FireNagy trending on Twitter, good luck. Bears ownership has been clear about how firings are handled. They’ll wait till the end of the season to make a decision on Nagy’s future. The Bears are also 1-2 so far, so Nagy has more room to breathe than most people think.

4) By the way, don’t blame Fields at all. For a rookie making his first start in an incredibly tough environment, Fields got no help from the Bears. If any quarterback deserves a pass for a bad performance this week, it’s Fields, who was sacked nine times, while continuing to remain composed and operating with what the Bears were giving him.

5) Figuring out what the Bears are doing with the offensive line is a tough task. Jason Peters and Germain Ifedi aren’t the tackles of the future, that distinction is reserved for Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom but this game showed that the interior of the offensive line (James Daniels, Cody Whitehair, and Sam Mustipher) needs to get better at communication too.

6) Tons of credit to defensive coordinator Sean Desai. After getting punched in the mouth on national television in week 1, Desai and the defense have adjusted nicely, putting together two solid performances. Desai may not have a talented secondary but the defense is looking better each week, a positive for the Bears.

7) No idea what the Bears are doing with the running game. After two strong performances, David Montgomery was shutdown on Sunday, with just 10 carries for 34 yards, averaging 3.4 yards per carry. That’s the lowest mark of Montgomery’s career since week 17 of the 2020 season. Matt Nagy panicked and got away from the running game way too early, something that’s also been an integral part of the offense when everything is clicking.

8) Jaylon Johnson wasn’t bad but he wasn’t great either. Tasked with shutting down Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., the second-year cornerback had some bright moments, showing us all why he’s a rising star in the NFL and one of the most underrated players at his position across the league.

9) We’re all still waiting for the big Darnell Mooney breakout game to happen. After 61 receptions as a rookie, Mooney had just one reception for nine yards on Sunday. The fifth-round pick did have six receptions for 66 yards in week two but has yet to find the endzone this season. Hopefully that changes with the Lions coming to town next week.

10) Khalil Herbert has done some nice work as a kick returner on special teams. After averaging 23.8 yards per return on Sunday, the Bears need to get Herbert involved in the running game, hoping he can provide some sort of spark.

 

Looking Ahead to Week Four

The Lions may be 0-3 but there’s a catch: Two of Detroit’s three losses have been by a combined 11 points. Bears fans like to make fun of the Lions on social media but head coach Dan Campbell at least has this team playing hard when it matters the most.

Perhaps the strongest positional group on the Lions is the offensive line, which features two first-round picks in Penei Sewell and Frank Ragnow. Watching Detroit against Green Bay on Monday Night Football in week 2, it was clear that the Lions’ OL was good enough to allow quarterback Jared Goff to at least have a fighting chance on every play.

The Bears will need to account for the Lions running back duo, Jamall Williams and D’Andre Swift. Both have impacted games heavily as receivers this season, with the stat sheet on Sunday being a major example. Swift and Williams combined for nine receptions for 85 yards. Detroit may not have a star wide receiver on the roster but Williams and Swift have quickly become Goff’s best friends.

 

The Chicago Bears defense is feeling rejuvenated going into 2021

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After attending my first official Chicago Bears training camp practice this offseason, one major takeaway regarding the Bears defense is the whole unit feeling rejuvenated heading into 2021. Watching from the sidelines at Halas Hall, energy was apparent for a unit that has regressed over the last two seasons.

Chicago knows that heading into 2021, the defense will once again need to perform at a high level as the Bears offense develops an identity. When general manager Ryan Pace called the Bears defense “the strength of our roster”, he was referring to marquee players such as Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson, Roquan Smith, and Akiem Hicks.

As the Bears prepare for the 2021 regular season, first-year defensive coordinator Sean Desai has earned praise from players like Mack and Smith, generating excitement about how good the Bears can be in 2021.

“He has some of those same qualities like Vic (Fangio),” Mack said via the Bears official YouTube page. “Like just understanding the players’ strengths and understanding how the simpler, the better.”

As the Bears continue to prepare for the 2021 regular season, the goal isn’t just to play at a high level each week but to best the unit in the NFL, especially considering much of the same core was on the roster in 2018, when Chicago led the NFL in nearly every defensive category.

“What you can control is what you can control,” Mack said. “But what you bring to the table, we gotta bring it all to the table and be what we know we can be. And that’s a great defense. Of course we’re not satisfied with the result last year, so it’s work to be done.”

Through three days of training camp, it’s become clear that the Bears defense is set to have a big turnaround in 2021, one that will start due to Desai’s ability to connect with players while putting players in a position to succeed.

31 questions to Bears camp: What does 2021 hold for Khalil Mack?

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New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Khalil Mack

When the Chicago Bears report to training camp next week, all eyes will be on star pass rusher Khalil Mack, who will attempt to have his first double-digit sack season since 2018. Considered to be one of the top pass rushers in the NFL, Mack enters his fourth season in Chicago and has been a force with 30 sacks, 144 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 45 quarterback hits.

The face of the Bears defense has remained out of the spotlight this offseason but with new defensive coordinator Sean Desai in the fold, the Bears will be running a more aggressive defensive scheme, something that should increase Mack’s production.

Pro Football Focus recently ranked Mack as the sixth best player in the NFL while giving the eighth-year veteran an overall grade of 92.3. Mack was also first in assisted tackles and tied for eighth place in sacks and forced fumbles.

Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai knows what Mack brings to the table: A player who’s double-teamed on every play and a player that will force offensive coordinator’s to gameplan around Mack. Chicago knows that Mack can play as a stand-up pass rusher or put his hand in the dirt and still have an impact.

“The good thing about our teaching philosophies is that we try and make sure guys know multiple spots,” Desai said via the Bears official Youtube page. “That helps us on gameday with the depth and that’s been a philosophy of mine and our defensive staff since the beginning.”

Much of the reason Mack’s production has declined over the last two seasons is due to back and knee injuries which Mack has fought through over the last two seasons. With more on-field work this offseason, Mack will be playing at full speed in 2021, with no limitations, making an impact that will be visibly noticeable for non-Bears fans as well.

31 questions to Bears camp: Will Desai maximize defensive talent?

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The Chicago Bears opted to promote from within this offseason at the defensive coordinator position, giving Sean Desai the reigns. Desai, who’s been with the Bears organization since 2013 will now be tasked with getting Chicago’s defense back to the top, after two years of statistical regression.

In many ways, one could argue that Chicago’s defense is at a crossroads heading into 2021. Core players like Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, and Danny Trevathan are getting older, while younger players like Jaylon Johnson and Roquan Smith continue to emerge, giving Chicago hope for the future.

Desai has been praised by players this offseason, being labeled as a bright, young mind, who’s going to allow playmakers to flourish.

“I think Sean is one of the brighter young minds in the game so to have him as my defensive coordinator, I definitely understand what he can bring to the table,” Safety Tashaun Gipson said via the Bears official YouTube channel. “And with the talent he got on defense, it’s going to be a beautiful thing to see.”

Desai has made it clear he’s got a major vision for Chicago’s defense, one that will emphasize physicality, toughness, strength, and playing fast, elements that are essential for top NFL defenses to possess. Talents like Mack, Hicks, and Smith should be given additional opportunities to make plays, putting the Bears offense in a position to succeed.

“The good thing about our teaching philosophies is that we try and make sure guys know multiple spots,” Desai said via the Bears official Youtube page. “That helps us on gameday with the depth and that’s been a philosophy of mine and our defensive staff since the beginning.”

As Chicago continues to prepare for the 2021 season, a major defensive revival seems to be in the cards for Chicago’s defense, especially because a young, innovative mind like Desai has taken the reigns of a defense that many believe can still play at a high level, despite multiple starters above the age of 30.

Making sense of PFF’s ranking of the Chicago Bears roster

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bears, matt nagy

If you’ve been in tune with what’s going on with the Chicago Bears this offseason, much of the talk revolves around new quarterback Justin Fields, the decision to release CB Kyle Fuller, and whether or not the Bears defense can play at a high level heading into 2021 with edge rusher Khalil Mack leading the way.

Pro Football Focus released their annual roster rankings ahead of training camp and Chicago was ranked 23rd overall, ahead of teams such as Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, and Las Vegas Raiders. Chicago was also the third-ranked team in the NFC North. The Bears’ division rivals were ranked as follows: Green Bay Packers (sixth overall), Minnesota Vikings (ninth overall), and Detroit Lions (31st overall).

Three factors are analyzed for all 32 NFL franchises throughout the article: Biggest strength, biggest weakness, and X-factor. In Chicago’s context, biggest strength was Khalil Mack, biggest weakness was the decision to move on from Fuller, and x-factor was Fields.

Let’s breakdown whether or not each of the three points listed above in the article were accurate or not.

Biggest strength

Earlier this offseason, Bears GM Ryan Pace alluded to how Chicago’s strength on the roster is the defense. However, keep in mind this was before the release of Fuller. Mack is still a force to be dealt with, despite his stats over the last two seasons not reflecting how much of an impact he’s really had.

Besides just Mack, Chicago’s front seven is still a force to be dealt with. Returning in 2021 are names like Akiem Hicks, Danny Trevathan, Roquan Smith, Eddie Goldman, and Bilal Nichols, giving Chicago an opportunity to terrorize quarterbacks. Overall, PFF isn’t necessarily wrong when naming Mack a strength, however, it’s hard to ignore the rest of the Bears front seven when discussing what the biggest strength on the roster is.

Biggest weakness

Despite not directly stating that CB was a weakness for the Bears, the article implies that CB is a weakness. This is accurate. Chicago did rely on Fuller, a two-time Pro Bowler to hold the fort down, despite drafting a CB in round six for three consecutive years (Duke Shelley, 2019), Kindle Vildor (2020), and Thomas Graham Jr., (2021).

The presumptive starter opposite 2020 second-round pick Jaylon Johnson is expected to be veteran Desmond Trufant, who started six games for the Lions in 2020. Chicago must also figure out who the starting slot CB will be, with the franchise releasing veteran CB Buster Skrine this offseason.

X Factor

Fields was labeled as the x-factor for the Bears, however, the Bears should be focused on Fields development rather than winning games. Another x-factor to consider would be Chicago’s offensive line, which has been inconsistent over the last two seasons. Chicago made overhauling the offensive line a priority by drafting Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom, while retaining Germain Ifedi, and adding Elijah Wilkinson via free agency.

If Chicago’s offensive line plays well, there is a legitimate case to be made for running back David Montgomery to have 2000 yards from scrimmage and more consistent quarterback play from Fields and veteran Andy Dalton which should lead to increased production from Chicago’s wide receiver duo of Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney.