2023 NFL Offseason: Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears (Last Year: 3-14)

2023 NFL Season Preview:

Veteran Additions:
QB Phillip Walker, RB D’Onta Foreman, RB Travis Homer, WR D.J. Moore, TE Robert Tonyan, G Nate Davis, DE/DT Rasheem Green, DT DeMarcus Walker, DT Andrew Billings, LB Tremaine Edmunds, LB T.J. Edwards, LB Dylan Cole.
Early Draft Picks:
OT Darnell Wright, DT Gervon Dexter, CB Tyrique Stevenson, DT Zacch Pickens, RB Roschon Johnson, WR Tyler Scott, LB Noah Sewell, CB Terell Smith. Bears Rookie Forecast
Offseason Losses:
RB David Montgomery, WR Equanimeous St. Brown, WR Dante Pettis, OT Riley Reiff, G Michael Schofield, DE Al-Quadin Muhammad, DT Armon Watts, LB Nicholas Morrow.

2023 Chicago Bears Offense:
It took the Chicago coaching staff a year-and-a-half to realize that Justin Fields is capable of scrambling. Somehow, the Bears wanted Fields to be a pocket passer during the beginning of his career, but they finally turned him loose midway through the 2022 campaign, telling him to run to his heart’s desire. The results were incredible, as Fields used his 4.4 speed to blow by the competition on a weekly basis. Fields had multiple 200-yard rushing performances, ultimately running for 1,143 yards. He wasn’t terrible as a passer either, throwing 17 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions on a 60.4 completion rate and a 7.1 YPA.

Fields didn’t have much of a chance to produce great numbers as a passer because of his poor receiving corps. Darnell Mooney didn’t perform well as a No. 1 option and then suffered an injury anyway. Chase Claypool was acquired from Pittsburgh, but he didn’t do anything of note in Chicago. Fields showed a nice rapport with Cole Kmet, but his tight end was his only viable target once Mooney got hurt. The Bears needed to change this, so one of the assets they acquired for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft was D.J. Moore. The former Panther receiver will be a huge upgrade for Fields, and every other wideout will benefit from the attention Moore will draw from the opposition.

Something else the Bears needed to do besides upgrade receiver was fix a dreadful offensive line that couldn’t protect Fields at all. The Bears began by signing Nate Davis away from the Titans. Davis is a Pro Bowl-caliber guard who will offer a massive upgrade in the interior along with Teven Jenkins and Cody Whitehair. Jenkins was drafted in the second round as a tackle, but made a great transition to guard after initially struggling at his former position. Whitehair, conversely, is a veteran with an extensive injury history.

Davis wasn’t the only upgrade the Bears made to their blocking unit. They used the 10th-overall pick on Tennessee tackle Darnell Wright, an athletic player who didn’t surrender a single sack while blocking for Hendon Hooker last year. He even neutralized No. 3 overall selection Will Anderson in their matchup. He and Braxton Jones, who was a pleasant surprise as a fifth-round rookie last year, have the potential to form a solid tackle duo.

The improved offensive line will also benefit the Chicago rushing attack, which lost David Montgomery this offseason. Montgomery was just a mediocre plodder, however, and it seemed as though the coaching staff favored Khalil Herbert anyway. Herbert will start to begin the year, and he’ll be backed up by solid reserve D’Onta Foreman.

2023 Chicago Bears Defense:
The Bears possessed the worst defense in the NFL last year. They surrendered 27.2 points per game, ranking 32nd against the pass, 31st versus the run, and 31st in pressure rate. This is what happens to a unit that loses numerous great talents like Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn, Akiem Hicks, and Roquan Smith in such a short span.

Wholesale changes were obviously needed to repair the stop unit, and the Bears had the resources to do it. They spent a big chunk of money in free agency bolstering their linebacking corps, signing both Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. Edmunds is a former first-round pick who is highly athletic. He struggled mightily in Buffalo earlier in his career, but finally seemed to get it last year, as he put together a tremendous season. Edwards, meanwhile, just had two great years for the Eagles. This new duo will be a colossal upgrade over what the Bears had in 2022.

The two linebackers will have better protection than what the old linebackers had last year. This is because the Bears signed a couple of defensive tackles as well: DeMarcus Walker and Andrew Billings. Walker is a solid rotational player who holds up well versus the run, while Billings is a quality player who does everything well. A pair of day-two picks were used on Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens, who figure to enter the rotation at some point.

While the Bears will defend the run and cover the middle of the field better, they still figure to struggle against the pass, as their edge rush was mostly untouched. They signed Rasheem Green, but he’s just a below-average player who collected 3.5 sacks for the Texans last year. Despite this, Green looks to be Chicago best pass rusher, as no one on the team recorded more than four sacks in 2022. The other primary edge rushers – Trevis Gipson, Dominique Robinson, Terrell Lewis – are all pedestrian players.

No pass rush means that more pressure will be placed on a secondary that already had issues at cornerback. Jaylon Johnson is a talented player, but he happens to be Chicago’s only proven, viable corner. Kindle Vildor started across from Johnson, but did not play well last year. The coaching staff will be hoping that second-round rookie Tyrique Stevenson will challenge for the job. In the slot, Kyler Gordon was a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he struggled as a rookie. Perhaps he’ll be able to improve.

While the cornerbacks don’t look very promising, at least the safeties figure to thrive again. Eddie Jackson has been an excellent play-maker since joining the Bears in 2017, while Jaquan Brisker was an instant success as a second-round rookie this past season.

2023 Chicago Bears Schedule and Intangibles:
Robbie Gould was missed for a while, at least until three years ago. Cairo Santos has been excellent, going 30-of-32 in 2020, then 26-of-30 in 2021. He was 21-of-23 last year, including 4-of-5 from 50-plus.

Chicago tried to fix its punting problem by spending a seventh-round pick on Trenton Gill last year. Gill ranked in the middle of the pack in net punting average and struggled to pin the opposition inside the 20.

The Bears have some winnable games this year against the Buccaneers, Saints, Panthers, Cardinals, Redskins, and Raiders.

2023 Chicago Bears Rookies:
Go here for the Bears Rookie Forecast, a page with predictions like which rookie will bust and which rookie will become a solid starter.

2023 Chicago Bears Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):

Quarterbacks	Offensive Line	Secondary
Running Backs	Defensive Line	Special Teams
Receivers	Linebackers	Coaching

2023 Chicago Bears Analysis: The Bears were the worst team in the NFL last year, but that won’t be the case in 2023. Justin Fields will have better blocking and an improved receiving corps to help him, while the defense received multiple upgrades. There are still some glaring holes on this roster, but Chicago will be much more competitive this season.

Projection: 7-10 (4th in NFC North)

2022 Projection: 1-16. 2022 Actual Result: 3-14.
2021 Projection: 6-11. 2021 Actual Result: 6-11.
2020 Projection: 3-13. 2020 Actual Result: 8-8.
2019 Projection: 11-5. 2019 Actual Result: 8-8.
2018 Projection: 10-6. 2018 Actual Result: 12-4.
2017 Projection: 4-12. 2017 Actual Result: 5-11.
2016 Projection: 8-8. 2016 Actual Result: 3-13.

NFL Draft Team Grade: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Bears obtained lots of draft capital by trading out of the No. 1 pick. This was essential because they had tons of holes on their roster. Aside from finding a better left tackle to protect Justin Fields, Chicago must acquire the best player available with all of their selections.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Chicago did a masterful job during the 2023 NFL Draft. In addition to trading down twice in the first round, the front office scored a “B” or higher on all seven of its selections prior to No. 165. The Bears obtained quality prospect while filling their many needs. This includes left tackle with Darnell Wright at No. 10 overall and defensive tackle with Gervon Dexter in the second frame.

My favorite value pick of Chicago’s didn’t fill a need, as the team acquired Noah Sewell at No. 148. Linebacker is a rare position of strength on Chicago’s roster, but Sewell was a steal. He was once considered a first-round pick before a down 2022 campaign.

The Bears made a couple of sketchy picks late in the draft, but those didn’t have much of an impact on this final grade. Chicago deserves to be praised for what it accomplished during the 2023 NFL Draft.

NFL Draft Individual Grades:

10. Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee – A Grade
Drafting Darnell Wright over Peter Skoronski is interesting, as it means the Bears really didn’t think he could play left tackle for them. Wright certainly can. He’s an athletic tackle who didn’t surrender a sack to Hendon Hooker last year. He also shut down Will Anderson. Justin Fields has to be thrilled about this selection.

53. Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida – B+ Grade
Gervon Dexter is a lengthy, quick and strong defensive tackle with plenty of upside. The Bears lost Akiem Hicks recently, so a replacement was needed. I had Dexter pegged around this range, so this seems like a solid choice.

56. Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami – B Grade
The Bears desperately needed a second cornerback, and they selected a prospect who was once slotted in the first round. Tyrique Stevenson, however, slipped because of character concerns. However, he’s a talented, big corner who should provide an upgrade at the position.

64. Zacch Pickens, DE/DT, South Carolina – B+ Grade
It makes sense that the Bears would continue to add to their very weak defensive line. Zacch Pickens has a ton of upside as an athletic lineman. This is a solid choice to begin the third round.

115. Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas – B Grade
The Bears have taken the “other” Texas running back, which seems like a quality decision because the Bears don’t have the best backfield. Roschon Johnson is a big back with decent receiving ability for a player his size.

133. Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati – A- Grade
I had Tyler Scott going about 20-25 picks earlier than this, so I’m a fan of this value. Tyler Scott is a small receiver, but he’s extremely quick. He should be able to help Justin Fields.

148. Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon – A+ Grade
Noah Sewell doesn’t fill a need at all after the Bears spent so much capital on linebackers, but there’s no denying this great value. Sewell, a big linebacker who covers well for a player his size, should have been chosen on Day 2. This is a steal.

165. Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota – C Grade
Adding another cornerback makes sense, but I never had Terell Smith in my mock drafts. He’s an athletic cornerback with upside, but wasn’t a very good player at Minnesota. The Bears might be able to turn him into a decent player, but I have my doubts.

218. Travis Bell, DT, Kennesaw State – C Grade
Travis Bell is pretty limited athletically and comes from a school where he didn’t face much competition. He may have a hard time making the roster.

258. Kendall Williamson, S, Stanford – B+ Grade
Kendall Williamson is a tough safety who plays well versus the run and has good instincts. He’s not a good athlete at all, but he could fight for a role.

Season Summary:
The Bears upset the 49ers in Week 1, yet still finished with the worst record in the NFL. It wasn’t a lost season, however, because the Bears were able to discover that Justin Fields has the potential to be their franchise quarterback. Now, they need to build around him.

Offseason Moves:

Bears sign DE/DT Rasheem Green

Bears sign LB Dylan Cole

Bears sign RB D’Onta Foreman

Bears sign TE Robert Tonyan

Bears sign DT Andrew Billings

Bears sign QB Phillip Walker

Bears sign RB Travis Homer

Bears sign DT DeMarcus Walker

Bears sign G Nate Davis

Bears sign LB Tremaine Edmunds

Bears sign LB T.J. Edwards

Bears acquire WR D.J. Moore from Panthers for draft picks

Team Needs:

Offensive Tackle: Protecting Justin Fields is extremely important, so the Bears must find a bookend for Braxton Jones. There will be plenty of options in the 2023 NFL Draft if Chicago trades down.
Two Wide Receivers: Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool are fine options, but Justin Fields needs two more talented receivers at his disposal to really open up the offense. Traded for D.J. Moore
Center: The Bears must also upgrade the middle of their dreadful offensive line.
Two Edge Rushers: Aside from the Falcons, no team pressured the quarterback less often than the Bears last year. Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn need to be replaced, and Chicago can do that by selecting Will Anderson atop the 2023 NFL Draft.
Two Defensive Linemen: The Bears were also poor versus the run last year, thanks to the departures of Akiem Hicks and some other linemen. They’ll need to be replaced. Signed DeMarcus Walker, Rasheem Green and Andrew Billings
Two Linebackers: Speaking of departed Bears, Roquan Smith was sorely missed. The Bears already needed linebacker help before he was dealt. Signed T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds
Cornerback: Jaylon Johnson is one of the few remaining decent players in Chicago’s defense, but the team has nothing opposite of him.
Running Back: David Montgomery is a free agent, so the Bears will need to bring in someone to share carries with Khalil Herbert. Signed D’Onta Foreman and Travis Homer
Punter: Trenton Gill was just 24th in punting.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

2023 NFL Free Agent Signings:

Nate Davis, G, Titans. Age: 26.
Signed with Bears (3 years)

Nate Davis has emerged as one of the best guards in the NFL. He’s just 26, so he has a bright future ahead of him.
T.J. Edwards, LB, Eagles. Age: 27.
Signed with Bears (3 years)

T.J. Edwards’ transformation in recent years has been remarkable. Two seasons ago, he was seen as a big liability. He had a solid 2021 campaign, however, and then was viewed as just a capable starter. However, Edwards became one of the best linebackers in the NFL last year. He was stellar in both run support and coverage. Edwards is still in his mid-20s, so it’ll be interesting to see if he continues to improve his game.
Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Bills. Age: 25.
Signed with Bears (4 years, $72 million; $50 million guaranteed)

Heading into 2022, Tremaine Edmunds was seen as a first-round bust who never lived up to his great potential. Edmunds had a great year, especially in coverage. It remains to be seen if Edmunds can keep up this high level of play.
D’Onta Foreman, RB, Panthers. Age: 27.
Signed with Bears

D’Onta Foreman took over for the traded Christian McCaffrey, and he ran very well. The downside is that he doesn’t do anything as a receiver out of the backfield.
DeMarcus Walker, DE/DT, Titans. Age: 28. — Signed with Bears
Robert Tonyan, TE, Packers. Age: 29. — Signed with Bears
Rasheem Green, DE/DT, Texans. Age: 26. — Signed with Bears
Travis Homer, RB, Seahawks. Age: 25. — Signed with Bears
Andrew Billings, DT, Raiders. Age: 28. — Signed with Bears (1 year)

Chicago Bears Free Agents:

Salary Cap: TBA.

David Montgomery, RB, Bears. Age: 26.
Signed with Lions (3 years, $18 million)

David Montgomery is a known name, but he’s also an overrated plodder. He has been getting phased out of the offense in favor of Khalil Herbert.
Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Bears. Age: 26.
Al-Quadin Muhammad, DE, Bears. Age: 28.
Nicholas Morrow, LB, Bears. Age: 28. — Signed with Eagles
Dante Pettis, WR, Bears. Age: 27.
Armon Watts, DT, Bears. Age: 27.
Michael Schofield, G, Bears. Age: 32.
Riley Reiff, OT/G, Bears. Age: 34. — Signed with Patriots
Mike Pennel, DT, Bears. Age: 32.
Trevor Siemian, QB, Bears. Age: 31. — Signed with Bengals
DeAndre Houston-Carson, S, Bears. Age: 30.
Byron Pringle, WR, Bears. Age: 29.
N’Keal Harry, WR, Bears. Age: 25.
Angelo Blackson, DT, Bears. Age: 30. — Signed with Ravens
Trevon Wesco, TE, Bears. Age: 27. — Signed with Titans
Nathan Peterman, QB, Bears. Age: 29. — Re-signed with Bears
Ryan Griffin, TE, Bears. Age: 33.