The 2023 NFL draft is almost here, and the Chicago Bears are gearing up for an important draft.
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 this offense, there’s not a lot of concerns, outside of the offensive line. The revamped the wide receiver group this offseason with Moore and Justin Fields is expected to make a leap in this third season.
Ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, we’re projecting what the Bears starting offense will look like, where’s there’s only one glaring need.
QB Justin Fields
The Bears put their faith in Justin Fields as QB1 after trading the first overall pick to the Panthers. Fields is 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.
