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USA Today Sports Media Group

Sport

Alyssa Barbieri and Brendan Sugrue

Ranking the 30 Most Important Bears of 2023

Bears JACK SANBORN Roschon Johnson Cairo Santos Jaylon Johnson Khalil Herbert Robert Tonyan Teven Jenkins Tyrique Stevenson Kyler Gordon

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2023 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.

Leading up to the start of training camp, we counted down our 30 most important Bears for the 2023 season. We recapped their 2022 season, looked ahead to 2023 and tackled the biggest question facing them this year.

Here’s a look at our complete ranking of the most important Bears heading into this season:

30
Cairo Santos, K

Santos has been the fix to the kicker woes that plagued the Bears following the release of Robbie Gould in 2016, and Santos is entering the final year of his three-year contract extension. Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower called Santos a “top-five kicker,” and it sounds like the Bears have a ton of confidence in Santos heading into 2023. But there were concerns about Santos’ missed extra points, which Hightower said he fixed at the end of the 2022 season. It’s a safe bet that Santos will be the starting kicker in 2023. But it’s not necessarily a guarantee with some competition on the roster.

The Bears may have brought in new running backs for the 2023 season but the expectation remains that Blasingame will be the one paving the way. The team signed him to a two-year extension in March and he should see plenty of action in Year 2 with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Though the Bears will hopefully be more reliant on the passing game with upgraded weapons for quarterback Justin Fields, the rushing attack will still be vital to the offense’s success. The difference is Blasingame will be blocking for new backs this year with the additions of D’Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson, who join Khalil Herbert as the primary ball carriers.

Chicago upgraded in a huge way with Tonyan, who gives the team a reliable No. 2 option. Tonyan will be the No. 2 receiving tight end they lacked in 2022, and it certainly helps that he has experience playing in the offense Luke Getsy runs in Chicago. Tonyan has proven to be a solid red zone target during his five seasons with the Packers, and he should give Justin Fields another receiving threat in the passing game. As someone who’s played in Getsy’s scheme, Tonyan understands the importance of tight ends in this offense, and there will be opportunities for Getsy to utilize both Kmet and Tonyan on the field at the same time.

Robinson is just one of two holdovers at the defensive end position to play meaningful snaps last year but his role has yet to be defined for this upcoming season. Edge rusher was a glaring weakness heading into the offseason but the Bears decided not to break the bank or use draft capital on upgrades. DeMarcus Walker signed a multiyear deal in free agency after a breakout year and the team signed Rasheem Green to join Robinson and Trevis Gipson. But the Bears have not yet landed a difference maker that many thought they would. They should give Robinson plenty of playing time, but he’ll need to compete in camp to earn a starting spot.

It’s hard to believe there was a time this offseason when Sanborn was the top linebacker on the roster. But with the free-agent additions of Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, Sanborn has been relegated to the SAM linebacker role, which means less time on the field. Still, Sanborn seems primed to serve a role for the Bears this season, both on defense and special teams. While Sanborn only started six games in his rookie season, it certainly looks like Poles found an impact contributor in Sanborn. That’s not to say Sanborn doesn’t have room for improvement — he’s far from a finished product — but it’s easy to see his potential in this defense. Sanborn might not become a star linebacker, but he has all of the tools to be a very good, consistent linebacker for this team. He’s also important depth at the position, where he previously showed he can be an impact starter as a rookie.

Pickens joins a Bears team that needs all the help it can get at the interior defensive line, but he’s going to have to earn his playing time. He’ll play the three-technique in Alan Williams’ defense and will likely start the year behind veteran Justin Jones. Pickens also needs to put on weight to handle the size and strength of NFL offensive linemen as he’s considered by many to be slightly undersized. Nevertheless, Pickens should crack the interior defensive line rotation to begin the season and could become an impact player as the year rolls on.

The Bears got a steal in Johnson in the fourth round, and he should factor into the team’s rushing attack immediately as a rookie. With Chicago implementing a committee approach in the run game, Johnson will get his opportunities, even if he isn’t the lead back. He’ll have a chance to show his complete skillset that also includes catching passes out of the backfield and assisting in pass protection. Johnson is a tough competitor who’s hard to bring down, where he was a missed tackle machine. Even if Johnson only serves in a reserve role during his rookie season, many believe he can develop into the long-term answer at running back for the Bears.

The Bears will look to Billings to do the same thing he did when he was with Las Vegas: Stop the run. It was a problem for the Bears in 2022 as they finished second-to-last in the league by allowing 157.3 yards per game. They were gashed nearly every week with no answer on the defensive line. Billings should provide a sizeable upgrade with his massive size, standing at 6-foot-1 and 311 pounds. Just don’t expect him to rush the passer. He only has 4.5 sacks in his career.

The Bears had a glaring need at the third cornerback spot, which they addressed in trading up in the second round to land a tough and physical corner in Stevenson. Stevenson is one of several rookies who is expected to serve as an immediate contributor in 2023. With Kyler Gordon slated to play exclusively in the slot, Stevenson should start opposite Jaylon Johnson on the boundary. Stevenson will be thrown into the fire quickly, much like Gordon last season, as teams will likely target the rookie and steer clear of Johnson. There will be bumps along the way, but Stevenson has the opportunity to prove himself as a long-term answer at cornerback as early as his rookie season.

General manager Ryan Poles sent a clear message with his first couple picks of the draft: Improve in the trenches. They addressed that on offense with tackle Darnell Wright in the first round and followed it up on defense with Dexter. Unlike Wright, though, Dexter will have to compete with veterans such as Andrew Billings for playing time and may not see many reps right out of the gate. But at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, he’s a force to be reckoned with and is going to be a part of the interior defensive line rotation. The 21-year old should play himself into a larger role as the season wears on. Dexter has already garnered praise from coaches and media who were in attendance at mini camp and could make a strong first impression when camp begins.

Herbert helped contribute in the NFL’s best rushing offense last season, and he’ll be counted on to do the same in 2023. Herbert should find himself thrust into an even bigger role this season following the departure of David Montgomery, now with the Lions. Herbert was the perfect fit for Luke Getsy’s outside zone scheme, where he led all qualifying running backs with 5.7 yards per carry. That kind of production should’ve demanded a bigger role, even if Montgomery had returned. Now, Herbert will likely serve as the lead running back in Chicago’s committee approach. But he will have to hold off a couple of new additions who would thrive in the role, as well.

Davis has played right guard his entire career and that won’t change now that he’s with the Bears. He will be tasked with not only locking down the right side of the line, but also assisting with rookie right tackle Darnell Wright as he learns the ropes. Davis is a steady veteran presence who has 54 starts under his belt. That’s the second-most on the line behind center Cody Whitehair. His skillset should prove to be valuable to help cut down on the number of sacks allowed (58 in 2022) but having the experience to play next to a rookie will be invaluable.

Jenkins is making his second position move in as many seasons as the Bears made some shifts to the offensive line. With the addition of veteran Nate Davis in free agency, Jenkins moves from right guard to left guard, kicking Cody Whitehair inside to center. Jenkins thrived immediately in his move inside to guard last year, and the expectation is he’ll do that in his new role. Jenkins should help shore up the left side of the offensive line alongside second-year tackle Braxton Jones. It should be an easy transition for Jenkins, who has an entire offseason to get used to his new role rather than a few weeks like last summer.

Gordon enters his second season looking to pick up where his first season ended but this time he’ll have more of a set position. Gordon shuffled between outside and nickel corner during his rookie year depending on the coverage and now the expectation will be to keep him at the latter when camp begins. Fortunately, he’ll have familiarity to fall back on as the Bears are projected to maintain four of the five same starters in the secondary from last season.

Playing at a consistent position next to the same players as last year while having a better understanding of the defensive schemes should benefit Gordon greatly. Considering how he defended against the run and improved as a cover corner, defensive coordinator Alan Williams will look to use Gordon in a variety of ways at nickel corner that could take the defense to another level.

Whitehair carries the fourth-largest salary cap hit ($14.1 million) on the team, and the Bears could’ve opted to move on from him this offseason. Instead, they opted to bring back a veteran team leader to help anchor a new-look offensive line. With new additions and shifting along the offensive line, Whitehair is moving back to center, a position he last played in 2020. Whitehair has played every position along interior of the offensive line since being drafted by the Bears in 2016. So making the switch from left guard to center this offseason has been a smooth transition, especially given Chicago gave him ample notice of the switch this offseason.

Mooney has spent the entire 2023 offseason rehabbing and that hard work is paying off. He recently said he’ll be good to go when training camp opens and that should make Bears fans happy. This time, however, Mooney won’t be the top receiving option on the team. That designation now goes to D.J. Moore. He and Mooney, along with Justin Fields, have been working together this offseason though and the former Carolina Panther’s arrival instantly elevates every other wide receiver on the field. Mooney now fits in as the team’s WR2, a role he thrived in just a couple of years ago.

The Bears are getting back a key leader and cornerstone on defense in Jackson, who’s returning from a serious foot injury that sidelined him for the final five games of 2022. A fully healthy Jackson should be a force for Chicago’s secondary, as evidenced by his performance last season. Jackson returned to his playmaking ways last year, leading the team in interceptions, and they’ll be looking for more of the same in 2023. Jackson has another year to perfect his chemistry with Jaquan Brisker in a secondary that improved this offseason.

The 2022 season was difficult for Claypool. Getting traded midseason is jarring for any player, let alone a young receiver needing to learn a new offense on the fly. But it seems as the 2023 offseason has been a smoother ride. The 25-year old receiver earned praise from both quarterback Justin Fields and head coach Matt Eberflus during minicamp for the way he’s handled himself and for how he’s looked in practice. Though some within the Bears front office may have conflicting feelings about Claypool, the overall consensus is he’s in a good place heading into training camp and should play a major factor in the passing offense with D.J. Moore and Darnell Mooney. He’ll need a good season too as he’s slated to become a free agent in 2024 and will want to cash in.

Gipson is entering the final year of his rookie deal, where he’ll be looking to prove he’s worthy of a second contract. While Gipson is expected to start off the edge, he’ll have to hold off fellow former fifth-round pick Dominique Robinson and Rasheem Green this summer. Defensive end remains the team’s biggest need ahead of training camp after they failed to land a big-name edge rusher. Their biggest offseason addition was DeMarcus Walker, who takes over the mantle as the top edge rusher. If Walker can prove to be impactful, Gipson should benefit from one-on-one matchups. Gipson has plenty on the line heading into 2023, where he’ll need to return to his 2021 form in hopes of landing a contract extension.

Expectations are high for Brisker and the entire secondary as a whole. Four out of five starters are due to return and Brisker is arguably the most valuable. His versatility was on display during his rookie season and with a year under his belt, there’s no telling how the Bears might use him on the field. Brisker elevates the play of those around him and that was evident by Eddie Jackson’s renaissance last year. Playing next to Brisker, Jackson was able to play within his position and returned to the ball-hawking safety fans grew to love a few years ago. With a new linebacking corps in place and an improved defensive line, Brisker should see more opportunities to be a playmaker in every facet of the defense.

The Bears signed Walker to a three-year, $21 million deal this offseason to help shore up what was the league’s worst pass rush. Where things stand, Walker is the top option off the edge for Chicago (but that could change if they add a veteran this summer). Walker has versatility having played up and down the defensive line throughout his career. Chicago can utilize Walker at multiple positions this season, but there’s no denying the need for a productive edge rusher. They had just 20 sacks last season, which put a ton of pressure on the secondary. Walker was brought in to help with that.

9
Justin Jones, DT

After last year’s unit failed to produce in both run and pass defense, Poles overhauled the interior defensive linemen. The Bears signed Andrew Billings in free agency and selected Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Jones is the lone holdover from 2022 who played meaningful snaps. He will now be tasked with ushering the new players into head coach Matt Eberflus’ defense and will once again be looked to as a leader. With the addition of Billings, as well as defensive end DeMarcus Walker, the expectation is Jones will have more opportunities than he did at the end of last season. After he’s done contributing off the field with his sentiments about the Packers fanbase, Jones will need to produce on the field in order to keep the rookies at bay behind him.

The Bears got a steal in Lake Villa native Edwards, who signed a three-year deal worth $19.5 million with $12 million guaranteed. He’s part of a new-look linebacker group that also includes veteran Tremaine Edmunds. Edwards will serve as the WILL linebacker in Matt Eberflus’ defense, where he’ll be key in overhauling a run defense that allowed 153.7 yards per game in 2022. While there are still concerns along the defensive line, Edwards’ presence should significantly improve a Bears defense that was among the worst in the league last season.

Much of the talk this offseason has surrounded the Bears’ upgraded wide receiving corps, headlined by the acquisition of D.J. Moore. But Kmet remains a focal point of the offense and has improved in every season as a pro while playing in every single game. Now entering Year 4 as a dangerous red zone threat with a refined route-running ability, Kmet has the opportunity to take an even bigger leap and become one of the top tight ends in the league. He’s unlikely to reach the heights of a player like Travis Kelce, but given his receiving skills and run-blocking prowess, his ceiling could be George Kittle.

Johnson is entering his third season as Chicago’s top cornerback, where he’ll lead a secondary looking to bounce back after an injury-riddled 2022 campaign. While the secondary had its share of struggles, they weren’t helped by a struggling front seven that put more pressure on the defensive backfield. Things should be better for Johnson and co. after some upgrades up front. Johnson has proven he can hang with the best wideouts in the game. But he needs to improve his ability to make plays on the ball, as he has just one interception in three seasons. But it doesn’t help that teams tend to avoid him in favor of younger, inexperienced corners. Still, Johnson has proven he can be an impact player, when healthy, and we should see more of that in 2023.

It’s been 40 years since the Bears invested this type of draft capital into an offensive lineman, meaning expectations are through the roof. The 6-foot-6, 335-pound rookie is tasked with helping improve an offensive line that allowed 58 sacks in 2022 while shuffling players in and out at right tackle. That shouldn’t be the case in 2023 as Wright is slated to be the team’s starting right tackle when Week 1 gets underway. Things won’t be easy for him as he will get a crash course in handling NFL edge rushers right out of the gate. Fortunately, he’ll be playing next to a proven veteran in guard Nate Davis, who should be able to help bring Wright along as he develops.

Edmunds was the Bears’ biggest free-agent addition this offseason, signing a four-year deal worth $72 million, and he’s expected to be a cornerstone on defense. He’ll serve as the MIKE linebacker in Matt Eberflus’ defense, and he’s just 25 years old despite already having played five seasons in the NFL. Edmunds has been a solid run defender during his career, which is an area where Chicago notably struggled last season, and he improved significantly in coverage with the Bills last season. Edmunds will be key in helping revive a defense that was among the worst in the league last season.

Jones did enough his rookie year to warrant another season as the team’s starting left tackle. The Bears chose not to sign any premium free agent tackle to supplant him and plan to play first-round rookie Darnell Wright at right tackle. For the first time since 2020, the team has a set plan at the position heading into training camp. But Jones needs to clean up areas in his game to go from a nice surprise to a quality starter moving forward. He knows that, though, and has talked on the record about what he needs to work on and how to improve to ensure he doesn’t allow defenders to chase down Justin Fields.

On top of that, he’s also going to need to gel with Teven Jenkins, who’s moving from right guard to left guard. Jenkins played right guard well last year, but it could be an adjustment that affects Jones early in the season.

There’s no doubt the addition of Moore was the team’s biggest offseason move. The Bears traded the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft for picks, and Moore was a big sticking point for GM Ryan Poles during trade negotiations. Moore’s presence should help jumpstart an anemic Chicago passing game, giving quarterback Justin Fields a bonafide No. 1 wide receiver. Moore has impressive speed, is good at getting separation and he’s an all-round playmaking threat. It will also benefit other top wideouts Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool, who will be freed up with the attention on Moore. Fields and Moore were the talk of the offseason, as their chemistry flourished quickly during workouts.

Nobody on the Bears is poised to take a bigger step from 2022 to 2023 than Fields. General manager Ryan Poles saw what his young quarterback could do last year as a runner and decided to give him reinforcements at every position to improve as a passer. The Bears traded for a legitimate WR1 in D.J. Moore as part of the deal involving the No. 1 overall pick. They signed tight end Robert Tonyan in free agency to compliment Cole Kmet. And they fortified the offensive line by signing guard Nate Davis and drafting tackle Darnell Wright with their first pick.

All of those moves should benefit Fields, who also remains in the same offensive system for two years in a row, the first time that’s happened for him since college. It’s going to be a pivotal year for Fields but he finally has pieces in place that gives him the opportunity to take a major leap.