I happen to like the 2020 team
Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 4:33 pm
So, we have a lot of naysayers out there in the media and with some fans for this upcoming season. For me, not being a homer or anything, I see a pretty clear picture of the Bears either winning their division or ending up as a wild card. What? Yea, I truly believe this will happen.
Look, it’s not like we were a 3-13 team last year. We went 8-8 with a huge rash of injuries on defense to our top players, no TE at all to speak of, injuries and movement on our Oline, and an underutilized running game. Oh, did I forget to mention a QB that regressed last year? These issues are all easily reversable issues that in most cases we have already fixed. In a perfect world where we don’t have the rash of injuries, Daniels performs really well at OC, our HC realized how to utilize the running game, and our QB would have played during the preseason and got some rhythm before the season started we could have been a 11-5 team and been in the playoffs. Again, all items can be fixed and have been on paper.
Personally, I see a big flip in our division. I think it will be us and the Lions battling for the top of the division. Neither the Vikings or the Packers got “better” in the off season, IMO. I think the Lions did and I think just keeping healthy with the additions we made make us a very dangerous team. I also think our depth right now is better than I can remember in years, which will play in our favor if we have injuries again this year. Do we have some warts, yes, but again I think we are better prepared to fill in when or if those warts show up. Here’s my breakdown of this years Bears team:
DEFENSE
In 2018 we were one of the best defenses in the NFL. In 2019 we took a step back but even with the rash of injuries to key players (namely Hicks) it was still a stout defense that couldn’t be blamed for any losses. The addition of Robert Quinn was huge and unexpected quite frankly. Even if he doesn’t reach the stats he had last year, his presence will make a huge difference for this defense. IT’s another guy teams have to prepare for and scheme to block which in turn frees up Mack and Hicks more. I also like the addition of Tashaun Gipson. I think he is actually a better compliment than Dix was with Jackson last year. Both of these additions, along with Jaylon Johnson are going to be huge for this already formidable defense. Here is my position by position break down:
Safety- As mentioned above, I think Gipson and Jackson are a great combination who can be interchangeable parts. Both are playmakers with the ball in the air and both are very good against the run as well. I also like our back ups in Deon Bush, Jordan Lucas, Kentrell Brice, or Stephen Denmark.
Corner- Should be set for years here with Fuller and Jaylon Johnson. I think both settle in for one of the best CB combo’s in the league. Buster Skrine was a bit of a disappointment for me but still wasn’t horrible. I think he is actually in danger of losing his job. There are plenty of back ups here that could help if someone goes down. Kendle Vildor is a tough SOB and could fill in at the outside or slot. Kevin Tolliver was almost a starter and could fill in outside. Tre Roberson has some potential and can be a special teams standout, and personally I like the Artie Burns signing and his upside. I think he might fit the slot as well.
ILB- If there is a weak area on this defense it’s here on the inside. Smith scares me with his unpredictability and immaturity. I like his on field play but why did he miss a game last year and his off season antics seem to have ruffled some feathers. Can he be a leader? I know he’s young and needs time to grow up but how long do you give him? Danny T also scares me just due to his injury history. The worst part is what we have behind them. Can Iggy or Woods be the next man up? I really liked the potential of Iggy when we drafted him but he has been passed by Woods who isn’t that stellar. One UDFA I really like is Rashad Smith, who I think will win a back up spot. Otherwise, we better be scanning the waiver wires before the season for a vet to back the starters up.
OLB- Oh, we are set here. Better than we ever have been, IMO. Mack and Quinn should wreak havoc on Rodgers, Cousins, and Stafford. Behind them with Mingo, Irving, Vaughters, Gipson, and possibly lil’ Mack isn’t really bad at all. Hopefully, none will be needed long term but for backups here and there they are more than sufficient.
DL- Hicks is the cog man, there is no denying he is the player that puts this defense in another category. His attitude and style of play is just a vital piece to raising this defense from very good to great. Nichols injury pushed him back a step last year but if healthy, this guy and RRH transform this defense to great also. Goldman is about as solid as you get in the middle and I like that Jenkins is back for that just in case. Some back ups I like are Urban, Abdullah Anderson, and Trevor McSwain.
OFFENSE:
QB- I was a fan that really rooted for Mitch to be the one. As a team, we needed him to be the one. Unfortunately, he took a step back. Now, I have to give some of the blame to Nagy due to him not playing him in preseason and the play calling this year compared to last year was totally a killer for Mitch. It put way to much on him and threw him into the fire the first game. Now, Mitch did himself no favors either. He was more panicked, less confident, and his decision making was horrible. Now, with the addition of Foles I don’t think Mitch will be the answer. In fact, as much as I rooted for him I am rooting against him this year. I think this offense, the offensive coaches, and the playbook this year are all geared toward Foles so I’m putting all my eggs in his basket. For Foles side, he is excellent at play action, red zone, accuracy in this offense, and great in the playoffs. I think he fits what Nagy and the boys want to do this year. Now, he needs to improve on his deep ball accuracy and completions under pressure but he is a better option in this offense and what the Bears are trying to do than Mitch is at this point. Foles will win the job and he will perform above average.
RB- David Montgomery is the man and will need to prove it by stepping up from last year. I think he is perfectly capable of doing so. He needs to be utilized better by Nagy and also needs to be thrown to more. This kid can catch the football and they need to use him. The bad thing here is there is really no back up to Montgomery so if he doesn’t step up or God forbid he gets hurt, there is no one. As much as they try, Cohen will never be a between the tackles runner. He is a gadget guy and will always need to be utilized as one. I think the Bears expect to much from him and give him too much to handle for what he is actually capable of in the offense. On the other hand, and I have been screaming about this all last season and in the off season, Patterson has been extremely underused. I was excited to see him added to our roster last year and was looking forward to seeing him used in creative ways but for some reason, Nagy seemed to just push him to the return spot and ignore him. Big mistake. He could have really added some spice to our running game and special offensive plays designed for him. New England sure used him to his optimal capacity and I thought we would expand on it. We did not. As for the back ups, unless you trust UDFA’s we need to sign a vet RB before the season starts.
WR- I’m not sure we improved this off season at WR. ARob is the staple here and will put up another 1,000 yard season. After him though? Do we trust Miller? Injuries, stupid penalties, can you really rely on him to be your #2 guy? Or is the #2 Ginn? Either way, that’s a lot of trust and more pressure put on ARob to be the man. Can we trust a skinny rookie like Mooney to carry the #2 spot if the others fail? I haven’t seen anything out of Wims or Ridley that says they can step up. Trevor Davis kind of intrigues me but other than that? There were plenty of really good WR’s in FA and the draft but Pace ignored them. I hope his faith in the backup guys pays off otherwise we have to rely on the TE group to pick up the slack.
TE- Definite upgrade here but I would have chose some different players to do the upgrade. Regardless, we should see a big uptick in production from this position. Graham has declined in the last few years but he is much better than we have had at the position in years. Kmet should be a big addition also. I think he will do very well for us this year and beyond. Harris is a solid back up and special teams guy so he makes the roster. I still think Shaheen is on this team when the season starts. I think he still has some untapped potential. He has very good hands and his blocking was getting better every year. With his size, if he could contribute as a blocker, ST, and occasional pass catcher I think he has value. JP Holtz and Horstead will battle for the last spot.
OL- Adequate is the best way to describe our tackles when healthy. Nothing spectacular but do the job. Both will need to be replaced starting as early as next years first round pick but until then, if healthy they will perform. I think Daniels and Whitehair are above average contributors on the line so no need to look at them for anything but solid play. Unlike most, I am a fan of the Ifedi signing and think he is going to be a very solid RG. I think he’s a much better OG than OT and the stats back me up on it. He’s still young and if he performs the way I think we will have a very solid internal OL. Spriggs is an upgrade at swing tackle and Coward is not great but can fill in. I don’t want him as a full time starter but as a spot starter he will suffice. Barrs and the two 7th round guys will battle it out from there.
Overall, I think we are pretty solid and will win the division or get the wild card spot. The new offensive coaches need to keep Nagy focused on the run game and play calling in general. The defense just needs to stay healthy and they are a top 5 defense. Foles (or Trubs) need to grab this team offensively and take control. Think of how popular they would be if they could do that in Chicago. We have been waiting a long time for a QB to do this, haven’t we? I really think this is right up Foles’s alley. He could definitely be this years Tannehill or better. I seem to have more faith in this team than most but for me, on paper they look much better than I thought going in. Sign a vet RB, ILB, and WR before the season starts and we are all set to make a huge run.
Look, it’s not like we were a 3-13 team last year. We went 8-8 with a huge rash of injuries on defense to our top players, no TE at all to speak of, injuries and movement on our Oline, and an underutilized running game. Oh, did I forget to mention a QB that regressed last year? These issues are all easily reversable issues that in most cases we have already fixed. In a perfect world where we don’t have the rash of injuries, Daniels performs really well at OC, our HC realized how to utilize the running game, and our QB would have played during the preseason and got some rhythm before the season started we could have been a 11-5 team and been in the playoffs. Again, all items can be fixed and have been on paper.
Personally, I see a big flip in our division. I think it will be us and the Lions battling for the top of the division. Neither the Vikings or the Packers got “better” in the off season, IMO. I think the Lions did and I think just keeping healthy with the additions we made make us a very dangerous team. I also think our depth right now is better than I can remember in years, which will play in our favor if we have injuries again this year. Do we have some warts, yes, but again I think we are better prepared to fill in when or if those warts show up. Here’s my breakdown of this years Bears team:
DEFENSE
In 2018 we were one of the best defenses in the NFL. In 2019 we took a step back but even with the rash of injuries to key players (namely Hicks) it was still a stout defense that couldn’t be blamed for any losses. The addition of Robert Quinn was huge and unexpected quite frankly. Even if he doesn’t reach the stats he had last year, his presence will make a huge difference for this defense. IT’s another guy teams have to prepare for and scheme to block which in turn frees up Mack and Hicks more. I also like the addition of Tashaun Gipson. I think he is actually a better compliment than Dix was with Jackson last year. Both of these additions, along with Jaylon Johnson are going to be huge for this already formidable defense. Here is my position by position break down:
Safety- As mentioned above, I think Gipson and Jackson are a great combination who can be interchangeable parts. Both are playmakers with the ball in the air and both are very good against the run as well. I also like our back ups in Deon Bush, Jordan Lucas, Kentrell Brice, or Stephen Denmark.
Corner- Should be set for years here with Fuller and Jaylon Johnson. I think both settle in for one of the best CB combo’s in the league. Buster Skrine was a bit of a disappointment for me but still wasn’t horrible. I think he is actually in danger of losing his job. There are plenty of back ups here that could help if someone goes down. Kendle Vildor is a tough SOB and could fill in at the outside or slot. Kevin Tolliver was almost a starter and could fill in outside. Tre Roberson has some potential and can be a special teams standout, and personally I like the Artie Burns signing and his upside. I think he might fit the slot as well.
ILB- If there is a weak area on this defense it’s here on the inside. Smith scares me with his unpredictability and immaturity. I like his on field play but why did he miss a game last year and his off season antics seem to have ruffled some feathers. Can he be a leader? I know he’s young and needs time to grow up but how long do you give him? Danny T also scares me just due to his injury history. The worst part is what we have behind them. Can Iggy or Woods be the next man up? I really liked the potential of Iggy when we drafted him but he has been passed by Woods who isn’t that stellar. One UDFA I really like is Rashad Smith, who I think will win a back up spot. Otherwise, we better be scanning the waiver wires before the season for a vet to back the starters up.
OLB- Oh, we are set here. Better than we ever have been, IMO. Mack and Quinn should wreak havoc on Rodgers, Cousins, and Stafford. Behind them with Mingo, Irving, Vaughters, Gipson, and possibly lil’ Mack isn’t really bad at all. Hopefully, none will be needed long term but for backups here and there they are more than sufficient.
DL- Hicks is the cog man, there is no denying he is the player that puts this defense in another category. His attitude and style of play is just a vital piece to raising this defense from very good to great. Nichols injury pushed him back a step last year but if healthy, this guy and RRH transform this defense to great also. Goldman is about as solid as you get in the middle and I like that Jenkins is back for that just in case. Some back ups I like are Urban, Abdullah Anderson, and Trevor McSwain.
OFFENSE:
QB- I was a fan that really rooted for Mitch to be the one. As a team, we needed him to be the one. Unfortunately, he took a step back. Now, I have to give some of the blame to Nagy due to him not playing him in preseason and the play calling this year compared to last year was totally a killer for Mitch. It put way to much on him and threw him into the fire the first game. Now, Mitch did himself no favors either. He was more panicked, less confident, and his decision making was horrible. Now, with the addition of Foles I don’t think Mitch will be the answer. In fact, as much as I rooted for him I am rooting against him this year. I think this offense, the offensive coaches, and the playbook this year are all geared toward Foles so I’m putting all my eggs in his basket. For Foles side, he is excellent at play action, red zone, accuracy in this offense, and great in the playoffs. I think he fits what Nagy and the boys want to do this year. Now, he needs to improve on his deep ball accuracy and completions under pressure but he is a better option in this offense and what the Bears are trying to do than Mitch is at this point. Foles will win the job and he will perform above average.
RB- David Montgomery is the man and will need to prove it by stepping up from last year. I think he is perfectly capable of doing so. He needs to be utilized better by Nagy and also needs to be thrown to more. This kid can catch the football and they need to use him. The bad thing here is there is really no back up to Montgomery so if he doesn’t step up or God forbid he gets hurt, there is no one. As much as they try, Cohen will never be a between the tackles runner. He is a gadget guy and will always need to be utilized as one. I think the Bears expect to much from him and give him too much to handle for what he is actually capable of in the offense. On the other hand, and I have been screaming about this all last season and in the off season, Patterson has been extremely underused. I was excited to see him added to our roster last year and was looking forward to seeing him used in creative ways but for some reason, Nagy seemed to just push him to the return spot and ignore him. Big mistake. He could have really added some spice to our running game and special offensive plays designed for him. New England sure used him to his optimal capacity and I thought we would expand on it. We did not. As for the back ups, unless you trust UDFA’s we need to sign a vet RB before the season starts.
WR- I’m not sure we improved this off season at WR. ARob is the staple here and will put up another 1,000 yard season. After him though? Do we trust Miller? Injuries, stupid penalties, can you really rely on him to be your #2 guy? Or is the #2 Ginn? Either way, that’s a lot of trust and more pressure put on ARob to be the man. Can we trust a skinny rookie like Mooney to carry the #2 spot if the others fail? I haven’t seen anything out of Wims or Ridley that says they can step up. Trevor Davis kind of intrigues me but other than that? There were plenty of really good WR’s in FA and the draft but Pace ignored them. I hope his faith in the backup guys pays off otherwise we have to rely on the TE group to pick up the slack.
TE- Definite upgrade here but I would have chose some different players to do the upgrade. Regardless, we should see a big uptick in production from this position. Graham has declined in the last few years but he is much better than we have had at the position in years. Kmet should be a big addition also. I think he will do very well for us this year and beyond. Harris is a solid back up and special teams guy so he makes the roster. I still think Shaheen is on this team when the season starts. I think he still has some untapped potential. He has very good hands and his blocking was getting better every year. With his size, if he could contribute as a blocker, ST, and occasional pass catcher I think he has value. JP Holtz and Horstead will battle for the last spot.
OL- Adequate is the best way to describe our tackles when healthy. Nothing spectacular but do the job. Both will need to be replaced starting as early as next years first round pick but until then, if healthy they will perform. I think Daniels and Whitehair are above average contributors on the line so no need to look at them for anything but solid play. Unlike most, I am a fan of the Ifedi signing and think he is going to be a very solid RG. I think he’s a much better OG than OT and the stats back me up on it. He’s still young and if he performs the way I think we will have a very solid internal OL. Spriggs is an upgrade at swing tackle and Coward is not great but can fill in. I don’t want him as a full time starter but as a spot starter he will suffice. Barrs and the two 7th round guys will battle it out from there.
Overall, I think we are pretty solid and will win the division or get the wild card spot. The new offensive coaches need to keep Nagy focused on the run game and play calling in general. The defense just needs to stay healthy and they are a top 5 defense. Foles (or Trubs) need to grab this team offensively and take control. Think of how popular they would be if they could do that in Chicago. We have been waiting a long time for a QB to do this, haven’t we? I really think this is right up Foles’s alley. He could definitely be this years Tannehill or better. I seem to have more faith in this team than most but for me, on paper they look much better than I thought going in. Sign a vet RB, ILB, and WR before the season starts and we are all set to make a huge run.