The Chicago Bears are ushering in a new era for the 2024 season
Aside from a single-point loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2018 Wild Card game, the Chicago Bears haven’t been relevant for most of the past twenty-five years. Yes, there was the Super Bowl run in 2006, plus reaching the NFC Championship game in 2010, but can you really consider seven winning seasons since the start of the 2000s, relevant? Heck, we could go all the way back to the early 90s if you really wanted to talk about the Bears being relevant in the NFL.
But why live in the past when the future appears to be bright in the Windy City?
Head coach Matt Eberflus heads into his third season looking to improve on what has been a slow but steady build over the past two seasons. After finishing 3-14 in his first year, Eberflus’s Bears improved to 7-10 last year. While they were still in the basement of the NFC North, at least they had the Minnesota Vikings to keep them company. Known as a defensive-minded coach, Eberflus now has a young, talented, physically tough roster headlined by a potential franchise rookie quarterback.
Entering the 2024 season as the first overall pick, Caleb Williams, he of the “all everything in college football” in 2022 has been handed the keys to the team and possibly the city. While the challenge to transition from college to the NFL will still be present, Williams’ exceptional talent, which won him the Heisman, Maxwell, Walter Camp, and multiple other Player of the Year awards while leading the USC Trojans to an 11-3 record, should help him have a successful rookie season.
Unfortunately for the Chicago Bears, the options backing Williams up aren’t all that exciting. Second-year QB Tyson Bagent returns as the Bears’ first option off the sidelines, making just four starts last season. Veteran Brett Rypien and undrafted rookie Austin Reed will compete for a spot on the practice squad.
Say what you will about Justin Fields, but to be fair to the young quarterback who spent his first three seasons in Chicago, he didn’t exactly have a lot of offensive options to throw at, nor the best of protection from his offensive line. Twice leading the team in rushing yards, the 11th selection from the 2021 NFL Draft was moved to Pittsburgh for a conditional 2025 draft pick.
Key additions for Chicago Bears in 2024
With the addition of Keenan Allen and DJ Moore, plus fellow rookie Rome Odunze, Williams, new quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph, and new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron have a trio of targets to hit with the ball that should bring excitement to Soldier Field.
While it will be exciting to see Williams chuck the ball downfield, the Chicago Bears will need their running backs to provide an alternative source of yardage. D’Andre Swift was brought into the mix, joining Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, and Travis Homer.
Specializing as a defensive coordinator before taking the head coaching gig in Chicago, Eberflus has placed an influence on defense, which has improved each season. Adding Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson, who both were named to the Pro Bowl last year certainly helped improve the team’s defensive ranking. Should Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon continue their upward trajectory, the Bears could easily have one of the top defenses in the NFC, not to mention the entire league.
As exciting as the outlook for the 2024 season may be, which to be fair to the Bears fans is something they have waited a long time for, the jump from a 7-10 team to a playoff team is huge, especially when it means overtaking the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers, both of which are among the top ten favorites to compete for the Super Bowl.
With the 2024 NHL season just around the corner, betting sites are already heating up with activity as fans look to potentially reap the rewards of their favorite team’s success. While the odds may initially favor the Lions and Packers, the Chicago Bears provide a tempting underdog option.
Should Williams prove to be the franchise quarterback that many project him to be and the new additions blend in with the returning offensive crew and the defense continue its upward trajectory, the Chicago Bears could have their first double-digit winning season in six years and possibly put a scare into the NFC North top dogs for a playoff berth.
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