Not many people are ready to buy into the Chicago Bears as a playoff contender this year. It isn’t hard to understand why. The organization had one winning season between 2013 and 2023. Nothing about their recent history suggests this team is trustworthy enough to win tight games. Even last season offered more proof of that with some ugly 4th quarter collapses against Denver, Detroit, and Cleveland. That said, the optimism appears higher this year than in previous ones. Much of it stems from their youth and newfound depth across the entire roster. The defense looks ready to reclaim its rightful spot among the NFL’s elite. Even the offense has newfound playmakers led by D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Cole Kmet.
The big question mark centers around Caleb Williams. Though he is the #1 pick, he’s still a rookie. Making the playoffs with a rookie QB is difficult. Yet insider Matt Lombardo heard from an executive inside the league that this isn’t likely to stop Chicago.
I’ll get to my thoughts in a second, but it’s worth noting that an AFC Scouting Director suggests to me that the job Ryan Poles has done surrounding Caleb Williams with premium talent gives them a chance to be a playoff team this year…
…“The reason the Bears have a chance is because of the talent around Caleb. Very few general managers build around rookies with veteran players, and the Bears have done that.”
Expecting Williams to do most of the heavy lifting is a recipe for disaster. Head coach Matt Eberflus isn’t that foolish. He understands that even a great talent like his young quarterback needs time to learn and adapt to the NFL. Until he’s ready, it falls on the rest of the team to do their part. The defense should be at least a top-15 unit and have the capacity to be much better. D’Andre Swift gives them a versatile option at running back. The receiving corps is easily the deepest it’s been in a decade. Even Cairo Santos and Tory Taylor represent perhaps the best specialist duo the team has had since the 2000s. This team is ready to win, but to do so they must do it together. The Chicago Bears have done it before. Carrying inexperienced or inadequate quarterbacks to winning seasons is nothing new.
