The 2023 NFL season is finally upon us, and for fans of the Chicago Bears, it’s one of the most anticipated years in recent memory. The Bears experienced the worst season of any team last year when they went 3-14, but were able to overhaul their roster on both sides of the ball thanks to an abundance of cap space and prime draft capital.
Now, general manager Ryan Poles’ hard work over the last nine months is ready to be displayed this weekend when the Bears take on the Green Bay Packers to open the season. It will mark the beginning of a pivotal year for many players and coaches, none bigger than quarterback Justin Fields as he enters Year 3. Fields and the offense will look to take a massive step forward thanks to an improved receiving corps and a revamped offensive line. The defense, meanwhile, has a bevy of young playmakers ready to break out.
Buy Bears TicketsIt should be an interesting season, and though no one knows exactly how it will play out, we can do our best to predict what’s going to happen between now and mid-January. Here are seven bold predictions for the 2023 Bears season.
1. Justin Fields has 35+ total touchdowns
The stage is set for Fields to take a sizeable leap in his development in Year 3, but what exactly does that look like? Will he throw for 4,000 yards? Complete more than 65% of his passes? Show better accuracy in the pocket? It’s difficult to measure what success looks like for him, but one area he won’t struggle in is scoring touchdowns.
In 15 games last season, Fields threw 17 touchdown passes and ran for eight more. But in the first six weeks, when the offense was a mess, he only accounted for five scores. If he starts out on a better note, 35 total touchdowns should be achievable, which would be a team record. Fields isn’t going to abandon his running abilities, and the Bears will still look to utilize him in goal-to-go situations. Expect plenty of scores from QB1.
2. D.J. Moore makes his first Pro Bowl
Can you believe D.J. Moore has yet to make a Pro Bowl despite totaling nearly 1,200 receiving yards in three of his five seasons? Moore has always been a dependable contributor with the Carolina Panthers but never had the star power or consistency at quarterback to be considered for the NFL’s all-star game. That’s going to change in 2023.
Moore becomes the central focus of the Bears passing attack and already has an impressive rapport with Fields. He’s already slotted in as the team’s WR1, but there’s a chance he’s force-fed the ball in passing situations. That may be detrimental to the team’s success at times, but it will mean more stats for Moore as he builds a Pro Bowl-caliber resume in 2023. He should have a career year in 2023.
3. Chase Claypool leads the team in receiving touchdowns
While Moore is going to feast in the open field, Chase Claypool will benefit from getting the most scoring opportunities. Claypool had a strong start to training camp before missing the final couple weeks with a leg injury. He and Fields were clicking at every level, and the Bears will look to utilize Claypool more effectively after having a full offseason with him, specifically as a red zone threat.
When Claypool came in as a rookie with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was a touchdown machine, finding the end zone 11 total times. He scored on screens, deep passes, sweeps, and everything in between. With plenty of time to devise schemes for him this offseason, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will look to get Claypool in those ideal matchups that lead to scores.
4. Yannick Ngakoue sets career high in sacks
One of the biggest question marks going into the season is how the Bears defensive front will perform. They struggled in 2022, totaling just 10.5 sacks as a unit (20 as a team). That was a key factor in Poles’ decision to sign Yannick Ngakoue to a one-year, $10.5 million deal back in August, and it’s going to pay dividends.
Ngakoue is one of the better pass rushers in the league, totaling at least eight sacks per season since he was drafted back in 2016. He was brought in to take down the quarterback, and that’s exactly what he’s going to do. Seeing as how the Bears have prioritized run-stuffing defensive ends, there aren’t too many options they can lean on in pure pass-rushing situations. In fact, Ngakoue will eclipse his previous career high of 12 sacks this year, in part thanks to the shoddy Soldier Field turf that will slow quarterbacks down. He won’t break Robert Quinn’s single-season record, but it’s going to be a fine year for No. 91.
5. Kyler Gordon leads all cornerbacks in tackles for loss
Tackles for loss may not be as sexy of a stat for cornerbacks as interceptions or forced fumbles, but in the case of Kyler Gordon, it’s something he seems to do very well. Gordon has a knack for snuffing out run and screen plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. He flashed those skills in his rookie year and built on them during this year’s training camp. Playing as the full-time nickel cornerback, he should see more opportunities to crash the line of scrimmage.
Last season, former Houston Texans cornerback Desmond King led the league in tackles for loss by a defensive back with 10, via Pro Football Reference. Gordon will match or exceed that total in 2023 to lead the league in that category. Gordon, a.k.a. Spider-Man,” has those Spidey senses to blow up a play as it’s happening. Don’t be surprised to see him swing into the backfield and cause chaos.
6. Ryan Poles makes a big midseason trade
Last year, the NFL saw a trade deadline unlike any other, with multiple major deals going down involving Pro Bowl-caliber players. The Bears played a significant role and were involved in three of those deals as they looked to build towards the future, dealing away Quinn and Roquan Smith and acquiring Claypool. Will Poles be active once again later this fall?
Trades involving players normally don’t happen often in the NFL, but this past season might be a sign of things to come. An extra playoff spot keeps more teams in contention, and the added 17th game opens up more possibilities to stay relevant. Other teams might feel more compelled to sell off valuable pieces with an eye towards the future, considering the 2024 NFL Draft class appears to be loaded with talent. And a number of players are reportedly unhappy with their contract status heading into the season.
All of that could lead Poles and the Bears to make another big move to build their roster during a competitive season. They have the extra draft capital to make a deal happen, and though it’s not in Poles’ nature to sell the farm for a player, at some point the Bears will need to turn into buyers.
7. The Bears finish the season with a tie
Who in their right mind predicts a tie will happen during the NFL season? It’s not something that occurs often, after all. Especially not involving the Bears. But ties are starting to become more frequent with different rule changes going into effect over the last few years, and this is the year the Bears finally experience it firsthand.
Since the Bears last tie in September of 1972, 27 teams have had a game end in a draw. The Bears were in plenty of games last season that came down to one final possession, and that will likely be the case once again this year. If/when a game goes into overtime, however, will head coach Matt Eberflus be aggressive enough to seal a win? That’s up for debate after some of his decisions last season.
Given the shorter overtime rules and the fact that both teams are allowed a possession if a touchdown isn’t scored, the Bears are due for a tie game. And it’s going to happen early in the season against the Denver Broncos, when both teams are still trying to find their footing.
