It’s never too early to wonder if the Bears missed on C.J. Stroud. The Texans’ rookie quarterback has passed for 2,626 yards, with 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions in his first nine games in the NFL. That’s more passing yards in his first nine games than any Bears quarterback has thrown in any nine-game stretch ever, if you’re scoring at home.
But even if the Bears still would be better off with the bounty they received for the No. 1 overall pick — wide receiver DJ Moore, right tackle Darnell Wright, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, the Panthers’ first-round draft pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025 — Stroud’s success as a rookie so far this season rekindles a frustrating lament for Bears fans: What are the Texans doing that the Bears are not?
