The Chicago Bears need to make moves to improve the roster in 2021 and there are a number of things they can do in the offseason to get the team back on track.
Now there has been enough time away from the Chicago Bears and their pathetic attempt at looking like a playoff team, it’s time to move forward. Yes, I know the postseason press conference still has a bad taste in the fans’ mouths.
However, the decision to keep things the same has been made and that decision won’t change until maybe at this time next year. We have to look now at what general manager Ryan Pace does to bring in help and what head coach Matt Nagy does to coach the team properly.
Yes, Nagy has two playoff appearances in three seasons. He has no playoff victories, however. Furthermore, the only reason the team made the playoffs this season was due to the format change allowing an extra team in the tournament.
Nagy spent nearly half the season mired in a losing streak. They suffered a six-game losing streak in which the offense struggled to move. To Nagy’s credit, he kept the team together to turn things around. They won three of their last four games to sneak into the playoffs. That is no small feat when you see most teams just quit. Heck, some “analysts” thought the team already had quit.
Pace is the architect of this struggling team. He made the moves (and non-moves) that caused the trouble. He concentrated on the defense but failed to come up with a replacement for Eddie Goldman when he opted out of the season. He decided to stand pat and use Bilal Nichols. Nichols suffered growing pains and it hurt the team’s run defense.
Pace also failed to make the proper moves to strengthen the offensive line. The depth was tested when injuries and COVID-19 hit. The line was in tatters and that hurt the passing and rushing attacks. There was finally a combination that worked, but some tweaks are still needed.
This is an important offseason for the Bears, especially for Pace and Nagy. If the team doesn’t succeed, they’ll be looking for new jobs.
Note: I don’t mention team President and CEO Ted Phillips because his only job is apparently to make sure the moves made are financially feasible.
Here are five moves the Chicago Bears need to make to improve and succeed in 2021.
Chicago Bears offseason move No. 5: New DC needs to bring the monsters back
Going into the playoff game against the Saints, the Chicago Bears defense took a lot of heat for their play down the stretch. While the offense improved, the defense took a step back. Opponents were gashing the defense.
After finishing in the top ten in scoring defense the last three seasons (and top five in the past two), the Chicago Bears finished 14th in 2020. The unit went from a wall stopping opposing offenses to a “bend but don’t break” defense.
This defense still has some elite players. It’s hard to imagine a team loaded with Akiem Hicks, Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn, Roquan Smith, Kyle Fuller, Danny Trevathan, and Eddie Jackson struggle, but that’s what we saw. After an amazing 2018 full of turnovers and sacks, those totals tumbled the next two seasons.
Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano was tasked with maintaining the elite status he inherited in Chicago. He failed to do it and decided at the end of the season to retire. Of all the changes predicted, it’s funny (or tragic) that this was the only major change announced.
The Bears need a strong coordinator who can return the unit back to elite status. There are available coaches like Wade Philips, one of the most respected coaches in the league. They could also go after Matt Patricia. Patricia failed as a head coach with the Detroit Lions but was an excellent defensive coordinator with the New England Patriots. He could resurrect his career by doing well in Chicago.
The Bears could also go in-house. Sean Desai is the current safeties coach for Chicago. He was former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s right-hand man. He understands what Fangio wanted in the defense so who better than he to bring back Fangio’s system?
Over recent years the Chicago Bears haven’t been able to balance a good offense with a good defense. Back in 2013, they had the No. 2-ranked offense in the NFL but the defense ranked 30th. Aside from that, the franchise has a history of having a great defense having to carry the offense.
The Bears need to bring back the elite defense we’re used to seeing. They need to find the right coordinator to do that.