NFC teams should not discount the 2024 Chicago Bears
All of a sudden, the Chicago Bears could find themselves right back at the top of the NFL world, especially if they get strong returns from the NFL Draft class. Caleb Williams, the stud QB from USC, looks to be on his way to Chicago, and this was all but cemented when the team traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a late-round pick.
Fields now gets a fresh start in Pittsburgh, and the Bears surely turn their focus to the 2024 NFL Draft and Caleb Williams. While I guess there is still a chance that the Bears do not draft Williams, it'd be a huge shock if they didn't. With him also likely starting week one in 2024 for Chicago, the Bears could find themselves back at the top of the NFL world.
Bears General Manager Ryan Poles has done a pretty solid job at rebuilding this roster, and this offseason saw another push to add to the offense, bringing in Keenan Allen, D'Andre Swift, and Gerald Everett. The Bears stable of play-makers on offense would be a fabulous situation for a rookie QB to come into.
Caleb Williams could be throwing to DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Cole Kmet, and Gerald Everett, and handing the ball off to D'Andre Swift. Furthermore, the Bears have the 1st and 9th overall picks, which gives them insanely valuable draft capital. Defensively, the team had a strong surge over the second half of the 2023 NFL Season, holding teams to less than 20 points per game.
Here's the thing; if the defense can continue to play well, in 2024, the same way they ended 2023, and if Caleb Williams can bring them respectable QB play, the Chicago Bears could be a very strong Wild Card team in 2024, and if Williams is a home-run of a selection, this team could win the NFC North in 2024.
The Chicago Bears could be a huge problem in 2024.