Why the Chicago Bears are serious contenders for NFC North in 2023
The NFL has been full of surprises this season, and at this point, no one should know what to expect from week to week. Some surprises of this NFL season came jumping out of the gates, while others have taken time to unfold.
One of those developments has been the Chicago Bears over the last three weeks. After trading Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn for draft picks, it was quite clear that the Bears were going into a full rebuild. However, Chicago jumpstarted that rebuild by acquiring Chase Claypool. Not only does the move help improve the offense, but it signifies the organization’s belief in Justin Fields.
The 23-year-old quarterback did not look great for the first part of the season, but who would with the weapons at his disposal and the coaches taking the ball out of his hands on the majority of play calls? However, over the last three weeks, the Bears coaching staff has finally realized that Fields is a competent thrower, and can utilize his legs to make plays when the play breaks down.
Over this three-week span, Fields has completed 65 percent of his passes for six touchdowns, while committing only one turnover. The Ohio State product has had plenty of accuracy issues during his early career, but you are starting to see an evolution from Fields from the quarterback position. He is taking much more care of the ball and is going through his progressions very well, understanding various looks that the defense is giving him, and not forcing throws into tight windows.
If you are still not impressed with his passing ability, which is completely understandable considering the fact that he has attempted only 72 passes during this span, then realize how much he is making an impact with his feet.
During this offensive resurgence, Fields has compiled 320 yards (178 yards on 15 carries against the Dolphins in week 9) and three rushing touchdowns. Fields is clearly not a polished product throwing the football, but he has shown immense signs of improvement and can break the game at any moment because of his rushing ability. One thing to also realize is that the Bears are scoring on 53% of their drives the last three weeks, ranking first in the NFL during that span. That is with below-average offensive line play and a weak receiving corps.
Now, why I think the Bears have a legit shot at winning the NFC North in 2023 does not just involve the development of Fields, but what the outlook of the other teams in the division looks like, and the assets the Bears have at their disposal this upcoming offseason.
First of all, the division is already quite weak, and with the Packers in a downhill spiral this season, it is not out of the realm of possibility that Aaron Rodgers calls it a career after this season. Green Bay is old, injuries are becoming a consistent factor, and the wide receiver room will probably have to be patiently developed through the draft, which is something Rodgers does not look capable of being a part of.
The Vikings are 7-1 this season, but six of their wins are single-possession games, something that does not carry over year-to-year, and Kirk Cousins has a limited ceiling that will cave in at some point. Meanwhile, the Lions have no clear answer at quarterback for the future, giving Chicago a clear head start into the future over the other teams in the NFC North, who are either old and expiring assets or truly incompetent.
In addition to all of that, the Bears will have $123 million in cap space to play with this offseason and eight draft picks in the 2023 draft. Now that Fields has seemingly taken a step in the right direction, it will be an opportunity for the Bears to continue Field’s development by putting pieces around him that elevate his game.
Chicago has already started the process by acquiring Claypool, and because of that, the Bears may not be forced into throwing money into a weak wide receiver free agency class. Instead, what the Bears should do is smartly invest their money into competent offensive linemen without overspending. Defensively, it is apparent that Chicago will need help on the defensive line after trading Smith and Quinn.
The Bears have invested a lot of draft capital into their secondary over the last couple of drafts, so spending a little on the defensive line is not a bad idea. As for the wide receiver position, I believe the Bears will look to draft one in either the first or second round, depending on what position provides the most value at their pick.
Of course, it is not a given that the Bears’ front office will use their assets to the best of their ability, but the potential of building a strong roster around Fields is very possible. Look for Chicago to pay a lot of players this offseason, and maybe overpay for a couple of players that will make an immediate impact.
It is also important to note that as of now, the Packers have $3.5 million in cap space in 2023, with little to no avenues to clearing cap space without taking big hits in dead money and the Vikings are $4 million over the cap in 2023 with a Justin Jefferson contract looming. The Lions actually have a healthy $30 million in cap space, but nothing close to what the Bears can spend.
The Bears are on a trajectory to becoming a true contender in the NFC in 2023 and beyond. This offseason will be a compelling one for Chicago’s front office and will be a monumental reason if the Bears take a step forward in 2023.