Chicago Bears: Team and player bold predictions for 2017

Predicting which players will flourish or falter, and what the Chicago Bears can expect from the upcoming 2017 NFL regular season.

As the Chicago Bears prepare to kick off the 2017 season, it’s a good time to look into the crystal ball and predict what might happen during this 16-game ride. Predictions are usually useless, as who really knows what’s going to happen in the future?

So, if you’re not into predictions, you can stop reading now. However, if you do read on, see what you agree or disagree with and comment with your own Bears predictions below.

Offensive MVP: Jordan Howard

This one seems like a pretty sure thing, as Jordan Howard appears to be one of the only offensive players the Bears can rely on. Howard will likely see more stacked boxes, potentially limiting his effectiveness, but he’s a player who should see 20-25 touches per game and be the focal point of every offensive game script. Expect Howard to eclipse 1,200 rushing yards, another 300 yards through the air, and upwards of 10 total touchdowns. He should be a Pro Bowl lock.

Defensive MVP: Leonard Floyd

The Bears better hope this is the case, as Leonard Floyd is being counted on to be a pillar on this defense for years to come. After accumulating seven sacks in just 12 games last year, Floyd — if healthy — should have no problem racking-up double-digit sack totals. He flashed in the preseason and looks bigger and stronger, all positive traits for a player who should see 800 snaps or more this season. If Floyd continues his ascension, the Bears defense is in good shape.

Rookie of the Year: Eddie Jackson

I would love to give this to Mitchell Trubisky, but no one has any clue when or if he plays. Tarik Cohen is another option, but his role likely will be limited to third downs and passing situations. Eddie Jackson, however, looks like the Week 1 starter at safety and could finally solidify the position. He has a knack for being around the football, and his punt return ability is a plus. Jackson figures to have his struggles, but he should be a difference maker on the field.

Biggest Surprise: Kevin White

Most people are just waiting for Kevin White to get hurt again, and as a result, the bar is set quite low for him. However, this might finally be the year that he stays healthy and lives up to his first-round draft status. He’s the de facto No. 1 receiving option and should be amongst the Bears leaders in targets. It would not be surprising at all if he finished the season leading the team in all three main receiving categories (receptions, yards, and touchdowns). This is the year for him to prove the doubters wrong. I, for one, am counting on it happening.

Biggest Disappointment: Charles Leno Jr.

Just handed a four-year contract extension, the Bears are counting on Charles Leno Jr. to be an excellent blindside protector for Mike Glennon (or Mitchell Trubisky). Leno Jr. is being paid like an elite left tackle, but in reality, he’s not. Average at best, he has shown improvement, but not the level of extent that his contract represents. I hope I’m wrong, but it looks like Leno Jr. could be the weak point of the offensive line and a detriment to the Bears offense.

Mitchell Trubisky Makes His First Start…

Sunday, Nov. 12 against the Green Bay Packers. It’s the first game after the team’s bye, giving the young signal caller an extra week to prepare for his first career start. The opponent is not ideal, but the game is at home, and the fans should be behind him 100 percent. Trubisky would have seven starts after this game, and the opponents later in the schedule (i.e. Cleveland and San Francisco) give him a chance to have success.

Bottom Line

If you told me the Bears won three games this season, I wouldn’t be surprised. If you told me they won seven or eight, again, I wouldn’t be surprised. Truth be told, I have no clue what kind of team the Bears will be. I could see a scenario where they surprise some people and compete for possibly a Wild Card berth, and I could see a scenario in which they have a top-five pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

The quarterback position is a relative unknown, and that’s what is causing the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming season. The defense should be much-improved, and the special teams should have more of a spark with Eddie Jackson and Tarik Cohen returning kicks. But the offense? Who knows? It all comes down to the quarterback position, and we have no idea what that position is or could become. There’s too small of a sample size to know for sure.

Next: NFL 2017: Predicting each team's Win-Loss record

So, all in all, the team should be better, but how much better is the real question. My gut is telling me this is a five or six win team, but my Bears’ blue and orange heart is telling me this is an eight or nine win team. I’ll compromise and say that the Bears finish with a record of 7-9 in 2017, with Mitchell Trubisky contributing to four of the seven wins.

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