2019 was a disappointing year for the Chicago Bears after they won their final game against Minnesota to finish up with a record of 8-8. The rough season they experienced has whipped the Bears faithful into somewhat of a frenzy, putting 3rdyear head coach Matt Nagy’s job in the hot seat. Even though they finished 2018 with a 12-4 record, the cold Chicago winters can be brutal, much like their fans expectations of bringing home wins. Even though out of their 8 losses, only 2 were by double digits (against the Chiefs and Saints). There was a big shake up in their front office because of this, with Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace sending offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, Offensive Line coach Harry Hiestand, and Tight Ends coach Kevin Gilbride packing. These weren’t the only moves made by the Bears front office however.
The Bears sent a shock wave through the league by declining to pick up QB (and 2ndoverall draft pick) Mitch Trubisky’s 2021 fifth year option, saving the team from paying him $24.8 million. They also seem to be unsure of Trubisky’s future with the team, trading a 4thround pick to the Jaguars for journeyman Super Bowl winning QB Nick Foles. This seems to be an insurance move, as Trubisky’s play had a sharp decline in 2019. This could have been due to injuries, as Trubisky dislocated his non-throwing shoulder and tore his labrum, only missing 1 game. Either way, Foles is heading into the season bringing a little competition to the QB room in Chicago. This move could either light a fire under Trubisky’s butt, or he could wilt and show the league he lacks competitive drive to last in the league.
The Bears need some serious help on the offensive side of the ball if they want the upcoming season to be a successful one. Nagy and Pace seem to be trying to assemble pieces that could contribute to an offensive uptick in the upcoming season, using the Bears first draft pick on TE Cole Kmet, and signing TE Jimmy Graham to a 1 year prove it deal. They also signed 2 RBs and 4 WRs, headlining this group with veteran Ted Ginn Jr. to address the issues they had last year with pass drops. They also tried to address their struggles at offensive line signing 6 people to add some serious depth to the hogs up front. The defensive side of the ball remains solid, although not as dominant as they were in 2018. One man wrecking crew Khalil Mack will certainly help anchor this side of the ball.
Overall, the Bears have a decent amount of talent, and seem to be heading in a positive direction with Matt Nagy at the helm. If Nagy and the Bears can get a little more production from the offense by limiting the dropped passes and sacks given up, and the D stays solid, they should be in contention to compete for the NFC North title. In my humble opinion, they are trending in the right direction, and Nagy seems to be more than capable of “righting the ship” in 2020.
