GM Ryan Poles knew the way the Chicago Bears were doing things had to change. His predecessor, Ryan Pace, had leaned far too heavily on big-ticket free agents and aggressive trades to make the franchise a winner. It worked for one year in 2018, but such an approach is non sustainable in the long term. They needed to build through the draft to make the Bears a legitimate contender. That meant accumulating picks, using them, and having a competent coaching staff to develop the young players.
After three years, Poles has managed to assemble the kind of roster he was hoping for. Most of it is comprised of guys 26 or younger, with a sprinkling of seasoned veterans here and there. It appears ESPN took notice. Aaron Schatz ranked teams with the best under-25 talent in the league. There were obvious members like Houston and Detroit. However, nestled at #5 were the Bears. They seem to think this incoming batch of names puts the organization in a position to send a message this season.
5. Chicago Bears
2023 ranking: 12
Blue-chip players: QB Caleb Williams, OT Darnell Wright, WR Rome Odunze
Notable graduated players: OT Braxton Jones, S Jaquan Brisker, QB Justin Fields (traded)
Obviously, the Bears will finish high in a countdown of under-25 talent because they had this year’s No. 1 overall draft selection (Williams) and the No. 9 overall pick (Odunze). They also get a lot of value from last year’s first-round pick, 23-year-old Wright, who had an 89.5% pass block win rate in 2023.
Below the blue chips are several 24-year-old standouts who will graduate from this list in a year. We start with a couple of important cornerbacks. Tyrique Stevenson improved dramatically in the second half of his rookie year, registering with four interceptions and 86 tackles. Nickelback Kyler Gordon had seven starts and good charting metrics in 2023. We should see more from defensive tackle Zacch Pickens this year, and linebacker Jack Sanborn and backup quarterback Tyson Bagent are also 24.
Matt Eberflus survived a rocky start to his tenure in Chicago, winning only three of his first 17 games. Many thought he was in line to become the worst in Bears history. However, to his credit, he kept the team together and things soon began turning around. Over the final 13 games of 2023, they went 7-6, including two last-minute 4th quarter collapses that would’ve made them 9-4. After the past four months, this roster is significantly better than the one that finished last season, especially on the offensive side.
Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze bolster the receiving corps. Caleb Williams might be a rookie, but it seems plausible that he can average more than 197 yards passing per game, as Justin Fields did last season. If the defense maintains its quality play from December and January, the Bears will win football games. Ryan Poles deserves so much credit for getting them to this point. He overcame inexperience and occasional mistakes, never losing sight of his vision. Now Chicago is poised to prove him right.
