TAKING STOCK: 2022 CHICAGO BEARS

BY ADAM GREENE

A 2-1 finish to the season with Justin Fields at quarterback bodes well for where the Chicago Bears could go in 2022. But first they needed to knock the stink of 2021 off the team by firing head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace.

The cupboard is far from bare for Chicago and this was one of the better jobs available this offseason. Tabbed to take over for Pace was former Kansas City Chiefs director of player personnel Ryan Poles. At head coach? Former Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. He brings in former Green Bay Packers passing game coordinator and QB coach Luke Getsy to take over as offensive coordinator.

CHICAGO BEARS

2021-22 Record: 6-11, third place NFC North

Playoffs: N/A

NOW WHAT?

The Bears flashed at time last season so there’s plenty to be excited about with an entirely new coaching staff and front office moving into The Windy City. With so much talent already on the team, the Bears could get good in a hurry. Robert Quinn finished with 18.5 sacks in 2022, Roquan Smith recorded 163 tackles and three sacks of his own and David Montgomery combined for 1,105 total offensive yards and seven touchdowns.

FREE AGENCY

Chicago has some free agents they’d definitely like back, starting with defensive tackle Akiem Hicks and wide receiver Allen Robinson. Robinson had his worst season since 2018, but no one blames him and he’s probably done with Chi Town regardless of the sales pitch offered from Eberflus and Poles. Wideout Jakeem Grant was a serious weapon, especially in the return game, and would be worth keeping.

As of this writing, the Bears have $26.584 million available in salary cap and they need to spend it on weapons for Fields. There are plenty of reasonable options available, including vets like AJ Green, TY Hilton and Sammy Watkins. Chicago shouldn’t be afraid to really add a star in a guy like Chris Godwin, who likely will get to hit the market. If I’m the Bears, I look at a possible 11 personnel of Godwin, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Will Fuller and feel pretty good about it.  

DRAFT

With no first round pick, the Bears won’t turn in a card (barring a trade) until Day Two. They’ll pick at Nos. 39 and 71 in Rounds two and three and both those guys should be potential starters. They need to look at offensive line, corner and wide receiver if they don’t solve that issue in free agency. Darian Kinnard, offensive lineman out of Kentucky, looks like a solid selection in the second and I’d go defense in the third, looking at someone like cornerback Jermaine Waller from Virginia Tech.

NFC NORTH

The state of the NFC North in 2022 is entirely dependant on Aaron Rodgers’ status in Green Bay. If he’s traded, it’s wide open, with two new head coaches in Chicago and Minnesota and a second year man in Dan Campbell in Detroit. With Fields presumably making a jump, and I expect him to, Chicago could be one of the more exciting Wild Card competitors next season and, minus Rodgers, a potential NFC North contender.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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