The Chicago Bears have made a lot of big changes this offseason. They traded the number one pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and acquired star wide receiver DJ Moore. The Bears used their first-round selection to draft offensive tackle Darnell Wright out of Tennessee, finally getting Fields the protection he needed. Overall, General Manager Ryan Poles had a great draft, and used a high cap space to his advantage.
The division itself is changing as well. Longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback and four time MVP winner Aaron Rodgers has left the North for the New York Jets. The Minnesota Vikings won the division in 2022, but they relied on several one-score victories. The Detroit Lions are the favorite to win the division, but still have a ways to go on the defensive side that will have to depend on rookies. To put it simply – the division is wide open. So where does that leave the Bears?
The Bears have a decent shot at winning the NFC North this season, mostly due to their complete overhaul of their offense. The Bears believe they have their quarterback of the future in Justin Fields, and now they finally have the pieces to surround him with. Star receiver Moore will line up alongside Darnell Wright and Chase Claypool, and Poles added more depth by drafting Tyler Scott from the University of Cincinnati. David Montogmery may have departed, but the Bears drafted Roschon Johnson out of Texas and signed D’Onta Foreman, two workhorses who have received countless praise. Furthermore, the Bears have revamped their offensive line by drafting Darnell Wright at tackle and signed Nate David at guard. These additions will hopefully solidify the offensive line to finally get Fields the protection he needs.
The Bears made considerable efforts to improve their defense as well. Chicago has a history of being a dominant and gritty defense, but these last few seasons have been less than desirable. Heading into the 2023 season, Poles was able to strengthen the line by drafting two defensive tackles in Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens. He also signed Andrew Billings, Rasheem Green, and DeMarcus Walker for more depth. To boost the secondary, Poles used third and fourth round picks on Tyrique Stevenson and Terrell Smith, adding even more strength and speed to this up-and-coming cornerback group. Finally, Poles improved his linebackers by signing star free agents Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards.
The Bears still have a lot of moving parts to put together before the season starts, and who knows, maybe Jordan Love will be better than Rodgers, but having a young quarterback in Green Bay gives the Bears that much more of a chance. The division is wide open and up for grabs, and if the Bears can get a star season out of Fields and a more consistent defense, the North is Chicago’s for the taking.
