Bears’ early struggles raise questions about team’s future plans

Throughout the off-season heading into the 2023 season, plenty of questions revolved around who would win the NFC North. The Minnesota Vikings, who went 13-4 last year, lost some firepower on defense. The Green Bay Packers traded away their franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Detroit Lions haven’t won the NFC North since 1993.

And then, there were the Chicago Bears.

Despite a tanking season last year, the Chicago Bears showed glimpses of finally getting their franchise quarterback. Justin Fields showed his talents as a freak athlete and elite playmaker. And with tons of draft picks used in this past year’s draft and having the most cap space in the NFL, the Bears were being considered a legitimate contender in a wide-open NFC North.

However, the Bears aren’t showing any signs of being a contender.

The Bears have been completely outplayed in their first two games against the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — both teams who lost Hall of Fame quarterbacks this past off-season. With Fields entering his third year as the starting quarterback, high expectations were revolving around his development in this system. So far, there have been no signs of progression.

Statistically, the Bears are in the bottom half of points per game on offensive and defensive. Fields, who proved his rushing ability last year accumulating over 1,000 yards, has a total of 13 carries for 62 yards in two games. Evidently, the Bears are trying to shy away from his rushing ability to focus on him as a passer. And I understand that, especially in a league where running quarterbacks are not very sustainable. But, Fields proved himself to be a top talent when he used his legs. And the fact that they haven’t even designed certain plays for him to run the ball has been quite shocking.

With these two weeks completed, fans who believed Fields was the guy are now doubting his ability to be the franchise quarterback. Some believe he doesn’t have the tools to do it, and some believe the coaching staff and organization are impeding his development. This goes to show that NFL games are not played on paper. Despite adding star-caliber players in DJ Moore, Tremaine Edmunds, Chase Claypool and TJ Edwards, the Bears seemed to have not changed one bit.

There are so many factors playing into a team’s success. Of course, you need the talent. That is obvious. But, you need the right schemes, coaches and people to bring out the best in every player on your football team. And so far, the Bears have struggled with doing that. This isn’t necessarily surprising, however, because the Bears have struggled for the last decade or so. Either way, I do not think anyone was expecting perfection, but signs of improvement are expected in Year 2of new staff and Year 3 of the same starting quarterback.

Of course, there is a long season ahead. The playoffs are determined after Week 2. However, it doesn’t help to try and turn things around in Week 3 when you play against Patrick Mahomes and the reigning Super Bowl champions. According to ESPN, out of 99 teams who have started 0-3 since 2002, only one of the teams has made the playoffs.

The Bears and the development of Justin Fields will continue to be something to keep an eye on. If the trend continues down the path of where it is currently headed, we may see the Bears contending for a top-five pick in the NFL Draft again. And maybe even two top-five picks, considering they own the Carolina Panthers’ first-round pick next year. With a strong quarterback class coming in, we may see the Bears start over at quarterback yet again.