Three Bold predictions for the 2023 Bears season |
Depending on who you ask or talk to, this is the best week of the year for many people as it marks the start of the NFL season. That means from this Thursday, when the Chiefs and Lions kick things off to the middle part of February, there will be football on in some capacity at least three days a week.
That is something to get excited about, but if you are a Bears fan, there is a lot to get excited about heading into week one. Coming off their worst season in franchise history, the Bears had a ton of pressure on themselves this offseason to improve, but had all the resources to make significant changes. Not only did they do that, but they did it in a big way, as this team looks drastically different than it did a year ago. Whether or not that translates into wins is another story, but some experts are high on the Bears in 2023. When you look at the win/loss projections for this team, you see a wide range of predictions, with five wins being the floor of this team and 10 being the ceiling. Most experts have them in the 7-8 win range, which may not be playoff-bound this season, but is a significant improvement from last year and a step in the right direction. Of course, all it takes is a little luck to bounce the Bears way for their season to swing in a different direction, but we have 18 weeks of NFL action to enjoy before we can dive into that. Not only do experts make win/loss predictions, but they make tons of predictions across the way, spanning the entire NFL. Today is a good day for our predictions as we have made three bold predictions for the upcoming Bears season. Whether or not they happen doesn't matter, but it is fun to make intriguing predictions to get fans excited about what is to come.
We all know about Justin Fields running ability and what that means to his game, but for the Bears to reach their ceiling as a team, he must improve in the passing game. Ryan Poles has done a great job adding WR talent and has brought in guys like Chase Claypool, DJ Moore, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Robert Tonyan within a calendar year to pair with Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet. This is the most talented roster Fields has had since his OSU days, and it isn't even close. You saw how successful he was when he had talent around him, but this is the NFL, not college, so the success varies from player to player. Still, given what he has at his disposal this season, there is no reason he shouldn't throw for a minimum of 20 TDs this season, if not 25. You add that to what he can do with his legs, and you are looking at a player who not only has 30 TD potential, but someone who will combine for 35 total TDs this season. Things will be special in Chicago this season if he can do that.1. Justin Fields will be dynamic totaling over 35 touchdowns
2. Yannick Ngakoue will set a career-high in sacks
It is no secret that the Bears needed to improve their pass rush, and adding Yannick Ngakoue will certainly do that. The problem with that is, outside of him, the Bears still need more overall pass rush than some of these other teams have and thus could see Ngakoue take a significant step back this season.
The less pass rush they get from the rest of their roster, the more attention will be paid to Ngakoue, which could ultimately neutralize him as a player. You can see why that is a bad thing, but the Bears are much better off than you think here, and when you look at the rest of the talent around Ngakoue, it wouldn't be shocking to see him reach a career-high number in sacks this season.
From a bevy of talented secondary players and linebackers behind him to some rookies who will see action right away, Ngakoue is in a great spot this season and one he probably didn't expect to be in. Now, it is up to him to prove his worth as a player. Consistency has never been an issue for him, and he will look to take that consistency and turn it to the next level.
3. Poles will continue to make moves to upgrade the roster
One thing we know about Poles during his two years as a GM is to expect the unexpected. You saw that last season when he practically traded away the Bears entire defensive core to build for the future and then traded away the NO. 1 overall pick this year to land Moore on the offense.
If the Bears are in a contending position come the trade deadline, don't put it past Poles to not only make a deal, but make a significant deal that could help the franchise in the short and long term. What that deal would be depends on what the team needs, but a Chase Young pickup is something to look for.
Poles knows the NFC North is wide open and could stay that way for the foreseeable future. With Fields still on his rookie deal, the Bears know their window to go all in is now before they need to worry about paying Fields the big bucks. Chicago will be exciting to watch this season, and a vastly improved team compared to what the fans have seen for the better part of four years.
