The Chicago Bears wrapped the 2022 season with a 3-14 record, which culminated in a 10-game losing streak. But there’s still reasons to be optimistic about the future, including a boatload of salary cap space, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and the emergence of quarterback Justin Fields.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position through the 2022 Bears and grading every player. First up is quarterback, which finally seems stabilized with Fields at the helm.
Justin Fields: B+
Season stats: 192-of-318 (60.4%), 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions; 160 rushes, 1,143 yards, 8 touchdowns (15 games)
The fact that Fields was able to find success this season despite less-than-ideal circumstances was impressive enough. But then you factor in his star quality and making NFL history on an almost-weekly basis, it’s unreal that he was able to have such a profound impact on this Bears offense. (And it was evident in the two games he missed). Fields established himself as one of the NFL’s most exciting young players with his elite speed and impressive athleticism. He set the NFL regular-season record for most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback — and he fell just 64 yards shy of breaking Lamar Jackson’s single-season rushing record. Yes, Fields has work to do when it comes to becoming a better passer. But addressing holes on the offensive line and at receiver will go a long way in helping with that.
Trevor Siemian: C
Season stats: 15-of-26 (57.7%), 184 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception (2 games)
We didn’t see much of Siemian this season, which is always a good thing. Siemian appeared in just two games this season, including one start in place of an injured Fields in Week 12 against the Jets. He suffered an oblique injury during warmups before that game, but he stuck it out for the entire game. Unfortunately, that required him to have season-ending oblique surgery. In Siemian’s lone action of the season, he completed 14-of-25 passes for 179 yards with one touchdown and one interception for a 75.3 passer rating.
Nathan Peterman: INCOMPLETE
Season stats: 14-of-25 (56%), 139 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception (3 games)
Peterman spent most of the season on the practice squad but found himself elevated to the active roster after Fields was injured in Week 11. When Siemian had season-ending surgery on his oblique, Peterman was a mainstay on the active roster for the remainder of the season. He appeared in three games, including for half of the season finale against the Vikings with Fields being sidelined with a hip injury. (Peterman split reps with Tim Boyle). Still, Peterman didn’t get enough reps to qualify for a grade, so he gets an incomplete.
Tim Boyle: INCOMPLETE
Season stats: 2-of-8 (25%), 33 yards, 0 touchdowns, 2 interceptions (1 game)
The Bears signed Tim Boyle from the Lions practice squad on Nov. 30 after Siemian landed on season-ending injured reserve. Boyle spent all of one game on the practice squad, making his regular-season debut in the season finale against Minnesota, where he split reps with Peterman. It wasn’t pretty, as he completed just 25 percent of his passes and tossing two interceptions. But like with Peterman, there wasn’t a big enough sample size (i.e. an entire game) to adequately grade him.
