The Chicago Bears are kicking off their offseason program, where Matt Eberflus will start preparing his team for the 2023 season.
It’s been quite an eventful offseason for Chicago, who traded the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers for a draft haul that included wide receiver DJ Moore. But there’s still plenty of work for general manager Ryan Poles to do in the draft.
When looking at these projections with current players, it’s clear that Poles has holes to address on defense. But the offense is set outside of the offensive line, which has a gaping hole at right tackle.
As the Bears kick off their offseason program, we’re projecting what the current Bears starting lineup would look like with the players currently on the roster.
QB Justin Fields
Despite speculation that the Bears will move on from Justin Fields, the plan if for Fields to be the starting quarterback. He’s coming off an impressive performance in 2022, where he rushed for 1,143 yards and emerged as one of the NFL’s most exciting players. Now, it’s about improvement in the passing game.
RB Khalil Herbert
With David Montgomery now with the Lions, Khalil Herbert is the next man up at running back for the Bears. Herbert thrived in Luke Getsy’s offense, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt (the most among all qualifying running backs.) While D’Onta Foreman will see his fair share of carries — and he’s looking to be the guy — right now I’ve got Herbert penciled in as RB1.
WR DJ Moore
The Bears went out and landed a No. 1 wide receiver in DJ Moore, who immediately becomes Fields’ top target. Moore has recorded three 1,000-yard seasons in five years — and that was with subpar quarterback play. Now, Moore has the chance to elevate Chicago’s passing game and provide a consistent downfield threat for Fields.
WR Chase Claypool
The Bears were expecting a lot out of Chase Claypool in his first full season in Chicago. After trading the 32nd overall pick for Claypool at the trade deadline, Claypool didn’t live up to expectations in the league’s worst passing game. Now, he’ll be a focal point as one of the team’s top wideouts.
WR Darnell Mooney
The Bears traded for a No. 1 receiver in Moore, which takes the pressure off Darnell Mooney. Mooney, who’s entering the final year of his rookie deal, is coming off a season-ending ankle injury and poised to thrive in the slot.
TE Cole Kmet
Cole Kmet is coming off a career year with the Bears, where he led the team in receptions (50), receiving yards (544) and touchdowns (7). He also proved to be the most reliable pass catcher for Fields. Kmet has proven to be a valuable asset in Getsy’s offense.
LT Braxton Jones
Former fifth-round pick Braxton Jones had a solid rookie season at left tackle for Chicago, but his future is one of the big question marks this offseason. As the Bears overhaul the offensive line, they could keep Jones developing at left tackle or perhaps move him to the right side (depending on what happens in the NFL draft). For now, he stays at left tackle.
LG Teven Jenkins
Teven Jenkins thrived at right guard last season, where he’s brought a nastiness to the interior. The only concern with Jenkins is injuries. But it sounds like Jenkins is going to make a third position switch in as many years as he certainly believes he’s moving to left guard with Davis coming in as the right guard.
C Cody Whitehair
With Davis plugging into the other guard spot, we’re kicking Whitehair inside to center. Poles’ remark about Whitehair’s 4,000 snaps at center wasn’t a throwaway comment. It’s an indication that we could very well see Whitehair back at center in 2023, a position he last played in 2020.
RG Nate Davis
Chicago found a solid starter in guard Nate Davis, who is strong in run blocking but also brings some stability in pass protection. Davis played exclusively at right guard with the Titans, and it sounds like that’s where he’ll be with the Bears.
RT Rookie
Right tackle is a glaring hole on the offensive line right now, and it’s obvious that it’s a position that will be addressed in the NFL draft. The Bears are sitting in a prime position at ninth overall to take a top tackle like Paris Johnson Jr., Broderick Jones, Darnell Wright or Peter Skoronski. But, if they opt to go defensive line instead, there will be other top tackle options in the second round that could fill this spot.
DT Justin Jones/Rookie
Justin Jones was the only defensive lineman worth bringing back on the league’s worst defensive line last season. The Bears could draft a 3-technique with one of their top draft picks to serve as starter, which means we’ll see a rotation between a rookie and Jones at the 3-tech position.
DT Andrew Billings/Rookie
The Bears could certainly fill this role with an incoming rookie, but free-agent addition Andrew Billings is a nice stopgap at the 1-technique position. He’s a dominant run stuffer who should immediately upgrade what was one of the NFL’s worst run defenses last season.
DE DeMarcus Walker/Rookie
DeMarcus Walker is coming off a career year where he had more combined sacks (7.0) than Justin Jones, Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson combined. And while he’s a favorite to get a starting opportunity, it also wouldn’t be a surprise to see a rookie fill this role.
DE Trevis Gipson/Rasheem Green/Rookie
This spot is likely to be filled by an incoming rookie or another veteran addition in free agency. But for now, Rasheem Green and Trevis Gipson serve as placeholders. While Gipson showed promise in 2021 — with a career-high 7 sacks — he struggled without a dominant edge rusher opposite him. Green is a high upside player who will serve a key role in the rotation, although he’s not likely to start.
WLB T.J. Edwards
T.J. Edwards was the bargain of free agency for the Bears, and he’s someone who serves as an immediate upgrade. With Tremaine Edmunds filling the MIKE role, Edwards will be the WILL, where he’ll be an impact player in this defense.
MLB Tremaine Edmunds
Tremaine Edmunds inked the most lucrative deal by a Bears player in free agency, and he’s the exact kind of player Matt Eberflus is looking for. Even after already playing five seasons, Edmunds is only 24. Eberflus said that Edmunds will most likely serve as the MIKE linebacker in this defense.
SLB Jack Sanborn
Jack Sanborn showed enough in his rookie season to warrant a look as a starter. And following the additions of Edwards and Edmunds, Sanborn will fill the starting SAM linebacker role. Sanborn had impressive instincts and was a solid tackler in limited action.
CB Jaylon Johnson
Jaylon Johnson in entering the final year of his rookie deal, where he’s in line for an extension. Johnson has been the Bears’ CB1 for the last couple of seasons, where he’s been able to hang with some of the NFL’s best receivers. Johnson will be looking to prove himself in a contract year.
CB Kyler Gordon
Kyler Gordon played both outside and in the slot last year, which is difficult for anyone yet alone a rookie. Chicago needs to find a position for Gordon and have him stick there. Depending on how the draft shakes out, that could very well be at nickel cornerback, which is one of the most important positions in this defense.
CB Kindle Vildor/Rookie
The Bears need a solid third cornerback to add to the group. Right now, Kindle Vildor is penciled into this spot, but that’s likely to change. Chicago will look to draft a young cornerback who could be plugged into this spot. With questions along the defensive line and offensive line, the only question is where will the Bears target a cornerback?
FS Eddie Jackson
Eddie Jackson is coming off a bounce back year in 2022, where he notched a team-high four interceptions before suffering a season-ending foot injury. Jackson, who carries a $17.09 million cap hit, will be back at free safety, where he’ll be looking to be the ballhawk he was last year.
SS Jaquan Brisker
Jaquan Brisker was Poles’ best draft pick last season, and his pairing with Jackson was a dream for the Bears. Brisker is the physical, hard-hitting box safety that complements Jackson. Now, the two will be back manning the strongest position group so far this offseason.
K Cairo Santos
Santos has been a reliable kicker for the Bears over the last three years. And that remains true heading into the 2023 season. Last year, Santos connected on 21-of-23 field goals (91.3%). He remains a reliable kicker and there’s no need for the Bears to consider another option at this point.
P Trenton Gill
Gill had a solid rookie season and made it a seamless transition from O’Donnell. He looked like a seamless pro in his first season. Gill finished the season with a net punting average of 40.3 yards, the third best in franchise history.
LS Patrick Scales
Scales has been a mainstay with the Bears since joining them in 2015, and he was re-signed to a one-year deal. Scales is coming off another solid year with Chicago, where he was the lone Bears player to receive a single All-Pro vote for 2022.
