Getty Chicago Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky
For the first time in over a decade, the Chicago Bears are entering the preseason as potential Super Bowl contenders. Whether the team is able to build on the success it achieved last season under reigning NFL Coach of the Year Matt Nagy remains to be seen, but in order to be legitimate contenders again, the Bears have to overcome a few obstacles and answer some lingering questions that still surround them in training camp.
The odds don’t favor the Bears getting better, but receding a bit instead, and some analysts have picked Chicago as one of several teams that had a successful run in 2018 who could take a step back this season.
Nagy, however, seems confident without projecting much ego or cockiness. He says his team’s motto for the upcoming season is “Chasing Great,” and seems to have the team gelling in ways that eluded them in previous seasons. This comes thanks to an approach that mixes serious football acumen and straight-up fun.
If his unique approach works, he could help bring Chicago its first Super Bowl since 1986. First, though, they’ll have to get through training camp and one of the league’s toughest schedules before trying to bring home the Lombardi trophy in year No. 100 as a franchise. Here are the top five issues surrounding the Bears heading into training camp.
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Will the Real Mitch Trubisky Please Stand Up?
Let’s discuss the obvious first. The team’s third-year quarterback will have all eyes on him heading into this season. When the Bears traded up to draft him with the No. 2 pick, we knew he would face mega scrutiny, yet one big question remains.
Can Mitchell Trubisky take that next step?
Trubisky showed flashes of greatness last season, coupled with many errant mistakes that could be chalked up to inexperience … or to him not performing as well as expected.
Take his two games against the Packers. In the 2018 season opener against their biggest
divisional rival, Trubisky went 23-35, throwing for 171 yards and no touchdowns, with a passer rating of 77.2. Trubisky scored a rushing TD on a nice play early in the game, but lost a fumble later and was sacked four times, leaving room for Aaron Rodgers to lead one of his better comebacks against them.
In their second game against Green Bay, Trubisky had an infinitely better showing, completing 20-28 attempts for 235 yards and 2 TDs, resulting in a gaudy QBR of 120.4. Mitch looked much more comfortable the second time around – perhaps because they played at Soldier Field, or due to the noticeable improvements that he showed as the season progressed.
Regardless, Trubisky has seemingly gotten more comfortable in Chicago. This offseason alone, he has been putting in more public appearances, which include participation in a fun viral beer chugging contest, hosting his own football camp, and taking a date out publicly for the first time as the Bears signal-caller. If his comfort level stays high, the team may have their found their long-term answer at quarterback. If not, well…
Who Emerges at Wide Receiver for Bears?
Getty ImagesChicago Bears WR Allen Robinson
Just two seasons ago, the Bears had a bunch of relative unknowns playing wide receiver. At present, they’re filled to the brim with talented wideouts with a nice mixture of size and speed. Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, and speedster Taylor Gabriel are clearly the top three, but it’s the rest of the bunch that will intrigue fans and experts alike.
Javon Wims, who showed promise towards the end of last season, enters his second year as a Bear and his second season in Nagy’s system and is likely to make the team. The same goes for rookie addition Riley Ridley, a player widely considered to be a steal in the third round of the draft this year, as well as Cordarrelle Patterson, who signed a two-year $10 million deal this spring.
That leaves the Halls. Marvin Hall, who returned kicks and played wide receiver for the Falcons last season, and Emanuel Hall, who went undrafted. Many felt that the Bears made out like bandits with the undrafted free agents they signed this year.
Emanuel Hall impressed with his combine performance; several draft analysts were surprised when he went undrafted. Marvin Hall remains a relative mystery, although his speed is well known. The Bears don’t have a single wide receiver in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, so this new bounty at the position is almost refreshing and makes it that much more difficult to whittle down the already-talented roster. This position will be key going forward, so the coaching staff has to get it right.
Can the Bears Stay Healthy?
This seems so obvious for every team, but the injury bug has eaten the Bears alive in recent seasons. During the 2016 training camp, the Bears lost their then-top wide receiver in Cameron Meredith to a season-ending knee injury. In fact, during the woeful tenure of John Fox, the Bears were by far the NFL’s most injured team.
So when they were among the league’s most healthy teams last season, it was a nice change of pace. It was also key to their success, and if they want to repeat that success, they have to stay healthy again, which won’t be easy. There are players on both sides of the ball who have dealt with major injuries in recent years. Kyle Long, who now sits on the wrong side of 30, hasn’t played a full season since 2015, but his presence could still be huge for the developing Trubisky. Allen Robinson is only one season removed from the surgery that repaired his damaged ACL. Robinson’s knee seemed fine last year, and Bears fans are hoping it stays that way.
On defense, Eddie Jackson and Khalil Mack missed games due to injury last year, and Leonard Floyd missed significant time in 2017 while also breaking his hand last year. It will be crucial for the Bears to get through training camp and beyond uninjured if they want to win it all.
What Will the Defense Look Like Under Chuck Pagano?
GettyChuck Pagano
After beloved defensive coordinator Vic Fangio left to fill the head coaching vacancy in Denver, the Bears chose former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano to inherit one of the league’s best defenses. The question is now whether the defense will progress, regress, or simply maintain?
Statistics seem to suggest regression, but Pagano and his players aren’t having it. Pagano has always been popular in the locker room, and his defensive acumen is impressive, but what he will bring to the table remains to be seen. If the Bears simply maintain their defensive dominance, they’ll be fine. If they regress, they’re in trouble. But would it be possible for them to actually get better?
Eddie Jackson seems confident that the Bears can be something truly special this season, going as far as saying the current team would like to top the legendary ‘85 team. That’s a lofty goal, but with Pagano’s history showing a clear trend of improving every team he coaches, it’s also a possibility. A slim one, perhaps, but Bears fans won’t be upset if another team Super Bowl Shuffles into their hearts by winning it all.
Adam Shaheen (and Other Tight Ends) Must Establish Themselves
This topic may be a bigger deal than most realize. Tight end Adam Shaheen was drafted No. 45 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, and he has only played in 19 games over two seasons. He needs to have a good year for multiple reasons, including the fact that his rookie contract expires in 2020. The Bears are overflowing with talent as a team, but tight end is a weak spot, especially with starter Trey Burton coming off an injury.
Matt Nagy has recently noted that Shaheen’s role in the offense is an important one, and Shaheen has reportedly tried new training methods this offseason in an effort to improve his overall health. If he can have a career year, Shaheen could be one of the league’s most pleasant surprises – but the other tight ends on the roster have to step up as well.
If the Bears want to be as complete as they need to in order to win it all, Burton also has to be a formidable offensive weapon, which would create extreme matchup problems for opposing defenses. Considering their plentiful talent at wide receiver, if the Bears start getting scary at tight end, their offense will be an elite one. Throw in newly-minted tight end Bradley Sowell of “Santa’s Sleigh” fame, and intriguing UDFA Dax Raymond (Ben Braunecker is there too) and you have an intriguing group of incredibly athletic players that could push the Bears offense into a dangerous category.
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