The Chicago Bears are going to be one of the most intriguing teams to watch next season. The Bears are coming off of a poor season as they finished tied for last place in the NFC North with a 7-10 record. Things could've been a lot worse, but Chicago was expecting to have a better year with Justin Fields under center. Fields was supposed to be the quarterback of the future for the Bears, but things just never panned out. There were flashes for him, but he wasn't able to win in Chicago, and he is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chicago saw the opportunity to get someone better, and they took it.
Last month, the NFL Draft took place in Detroit, and the Bears had the first overall pick in the draft. When they traded Justin Fields, everyone knew that the Bears would be hanging onto their first pick, and that they would be drafting USC football QB Caleb Williams with said pick. Chicago did just that, and now, there is a sense of hope among the fan base and the team.
Caleb Williams is expected to be a star for the Bears. He was a star for both Oklahoma and USC during his college days as he was always one of the best players in college football, and he even won the Heisman Trophy after the 2022 season.
Williams' 2022 season was a special one. He finished the year 333-500 for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions. Williams was clearly the best player in college football. He led the Trojans to an 11-1 regular season record, and they narrowly missed out on the College Football Playoff after losing to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game. Still, it was a great season for USC and it was a great season for Williams, and he had one more year after that.
The 2023 season wasn't as good for Williams and it wasn't as good for the Trojans, but Williams wasn't the problem. He finished the year 266-388 for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Trojans ended up finishing with a 7-5 record, however. The defense was the issue for that USC team, and despite having elite QB play, they weren't able to win big. That should be a good lesson for Bears fans to keep in mind as they head into this new era. Williams should perform well in the NFL, but last year's USC team shows that he can't do it all.
There are two major sides to football, the offense and the defense. Caleb Williams should solve a lot of problems for the Bears on offense, but he can't control how good their defense is. Drafting him was big, but putting all the blame of past unsuccessful seasons on Justin Fields wouldn't be fair. When one super star like Williams gets drafted, expectations can go through the roof, and they are certainly going to be high for the Bears next season. Still, they need to make sure that Williams has the tools around him to be successful, and they need to make sure that they are sound in the areas of the game that he can't control.
In the NFL Draft last month, the Bears had another early first round pick, and they did a good job of getting Caleb Williams a young weapon as they drafted wide receiver Rome Odunze. Odunze was also a Pac-12 star in college as he played for Washington, and he helped his team go all the way to the national championship game last season. Bears fans should be extremely excited about the addition of Odunze as well, and him and Williams should have a good connection. There is certainly reason for excitement and optimism in Chicago.
The Bears had a good draft, but the offseason is still far from over. There are still players out there that Chicago could add to their roster via trades, and it would certainly be smart of them to explore those options. The Bears got their QB of the future, and now they need to build the team around him. Chicago has to make sure that they have the necessary pieces on their roster to be successful in all areas of the game. Here are a couple of players that they should be taking a look at.
Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns WR
It's hard to believe that Amari Cooper has already been in the NFL for nine seasons. He started his career with a team that no longer exists as he was on the Oakland Raiders (now Las Vegas Raiders) to start his career. He played for the Raiders for four seasons before going to the Dallas Cowboys during the 2018 season. He was with the Cowboys until 2021, and he has played for the Browns ever since.
Amari Cooper has been mentioned as a potential trade target for the Bears, and it would be a good pickup for Chicago if this were to happen. Cooper has been in the league for nine years, but he is showing no signs of slowing down as he had 1,250 receiving yards last year, the most of any season in his career.
Last season was a big one for Amari Cooper, but he has been a star throughout his career. Cooper had over 1,000 receiving yards during his rookie season, and he has had over 1,000 receiving yards in six out of nine seasons. He is a terrific wide receiver and would be a great player to go along with Caleb Williams.
Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders DE
If the Bears want to avoid a situation like USC had last year, they will need to have a sound defense. What better way to accomplish that than getting arguably the best defensive end in the NFL, Maxx Crosby. This is a bit of a stretch, but there have been rumors that Crosby might want to leave the Raiders, and he could want to join a Bears team that seems to have a lot of potential for the future.
No Bears fans needs convincing when it comes to Maxx Crosby, but let's take a look at his numbers just for fun. Crosby is an absolute stud. Last season, Crosby finished the year with 90 total tackles, 14.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He has been in the NFL for five seasons, and he has had seven or more sacks in every season.
Maxx Crosby was an absolute steal for the Raiders in the 2019 NFL Draft. He went to Eastern Michigan for college, and he was taken in the fourth round. Crosby is now one of the best defensive players in the entire league, and any team would be happy to have him.
This is an exciting time for Bears fans. They haven't had a ton to cheer for in recent years, but there is now a lot of reason for optimism. Next year should be an exciting one in Chicago, and Bears fans can't wait for things to get underway.
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