The Bears are through the preseason and have their roster set for the season, which begins Sept. 10 at home against the Packers. Here are six key questions about where they stand:
The most important training-camp development was …
Signing defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. That reinforced the shift from tearing down to building up. Whether Ngakoue can single-handedly vault the pass rush is to be determined, but the fact that general manager Ryan Poles was ready to shell out $10.4 million for a pass rusher during training camp was encouraging.
What does Justin Fields need to do to earn a long-term deal?
Certainly it would help if he makes a big leap as a passer, but if Fields figures out a way to win, the Bears won’t really care how he gets there. If he gets them to the playoffs, they won’t be changing quarterbacks.
The biggest reason for optimism entering Week 1 is …
The running game should be even better. The Bears weren’t good at much last season, but they led the NFL at 177.3 yards rushing per game. A lot of that was from Fields, so the goal now is to replace some of his production with Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson contributing more. With an upgraded offensive line, too, the ground game figures to be the Bears’ strength.
The biggest reason for pessimism is ...
There simply hasn’t been much concrete proof of anything other than wide receiver DJ Moore. A long list of key players missed significant time in the preseason, and Fields’ up-and-down training camp was unconvincing.
Which rookie will make the biggest impact?
Right tackle Darnell Wright — as he should, given that he was the No. 10 overall pick. One of the reasons Fields ran so much last season was that the offensive line gave him no time. Poles was certain Wright would be a pillar of the line, and he certainly has all the makings of a great tackle. The question will be how quickly he adapts.
The Bears’ final record and place in the NFC North will be …
They’ll go 8-9 and finish second. The NFC North is unpredictable, and the Bears are an unpredictable team that could win anywhere between five and 10 games. But jumping from three wins to eight would be meaningful progress.
