After a 5-11 finish in 2017, the Chicago Bears are ready to take a step forward under a new head coach. John Fox went 14-35 in his three seasons at the helm before being fired, replaced by Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. Chicago may not be able to overtake the Packers or Vikings within their division, but they should be able to take a step forward as their young players gain more experience.
Offense
The most important player on the Bears' entire roster is second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Drafted second overall in 2017, Trubisky began the season on the bench, but he started the final 12 games, leading Chicago to a 4-8 record.
The Bears' offensive gameplan with Trubisky under center was heavily run-focused, specifically to take pressure off of the inexperienced signal-caller. After all, Trubisky only started one season at North Carolina, and his youth showed in his 12 games.
He completed 196 of his 330 pass attempts for 2,193 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Having a year under his belt will be nice, but the biggest improvement will be that of the players he is throwing to.
Last season, Trubisky's weapons included Kendall Wright, Josh Bellamy, and Dontrelle Inman. That corps rivaled the Cleveland Browns' for worst in the league. Chicago made upgrading the wide receiver position their top priority in the offseason, and they succeeded.
Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel were signed in free agency and Anthony Miller was drafted in the second round. Those three alone form one of the better trios in the NFL, and if former seventh overall pick Kevin White can stay healthy, the Bears could have a suddenly scary passing attack.
That passing attack will compliment a potent running game led by Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen. Howard is a between-the-tackles bruiser who rushed for over 2,400 yards in his first two seasons. Cohen is a tiny change-of-pace back in the mold of Darren Sproles.
Chicago's offense line will also be improved, mostly due to the addition of second-round center James Daniels. Cody Whitehair will move to guard, and Daniels will start.
Opposing teams were able to focus almost exclusively on stopping the run last season, but the Bears' ground game was still strong. This year, the offense will be more diverse and dangerous, and Trubisky should be able to lead the team to 6-8 wins.
Defense
The Bears have a good, young defense that should see some improvement this year as long as they can come to a contract agreement with eighth overall pick Roquan Smith. Smith is the only first-round pick that has not signed with his team, as Smith's group and Chicago are at an impasse over language related to off-field activity. It's a very odd situation, one that is becoming a large distraction with no end in sight.
Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman form an impressive defensive line duo, with both players solid against the run and pass. Former second-round pick Jonathan Bullard has been a disappointment thus far and needs to take a step forward in his third season.
Without Smith, Chicago's linebacker corps looks a bit weak. Sam Acho and Aaron Lynch are decent, but not great. Nick Kwiatkoski and Danny Trevathan are solid interior players, and Leonard Floyd has suffered through injuries, not living up to his draft billing. The Bears need Smith to add a new dynamic to the second level of their defense.
In the secondary, Chicago is well-set. After a few injury-plagued seasons, Kyle Fuller broke out last year and proved himself as an elite #1 cornerback. He is flanked by veterans Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper, along with rookie Kevin Toliver.
They aren't the 1985 Bears, but Chicago's defense shouldn't flat-out lose games for the team. How the unit performs hinges on Smith's status. He is a fantastic player who will drastically improve the Bears' pass defense because of his speed. He is arguably the most reliable tackler to enter the league in the past few years, but he has one major weakness.
His 6-foot-one, 236-pound frame doesn't pack much functional strength, meaning that if an offensive lineman gets their hands on Smith, it's over for him. Smith is not strong enough to fight through blocks, so he has to use his speed and athleticism to go around them. As long as Trevathan and Kwiatkowski can soak up the blocks, Smith should be able to make a large impact.
2018 Outlook
The Bears won't win the division or contend for a Wild Card berth, but they should be a much better team than they were last season. They will probably finish in the division cellar, but they could be one of the better last-place teams in the league. Even though the end result may be disappointing this year, Chicago has their franchise QB, and that's all that matters for now.
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