Team previews for the 2024 season continue with the NFC North as a boosted Bears squad hopes to make a leap behind No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams. If you like the analysis here, consider signing up for our free newsletter to get can’t-miss NFL news and insights straight to your inbox every week.
- 2023 finish: 7-10 (last in NFC North)
- Over/under: 8.5 wins
Notable additions
QB Brett Rypien, RB D’Andre Swift, WR Keenan Allen, TE Gerald Everett, OT Jake Curhan, OL Matt Pryor, C Ryan Bates, C Coleman Shelton, DE Jacob Martin, DT Byron Cowart, DT Jake Martin, LB Amen Ogbongbemiga, S Kevin Byard III, S Jonathan Owens, OC Shane Waldron
Notable losses
RB D’Onta Foreman, WR Darnell Mooney, WR Equanimeous St. Brown, TE Robert Tonyan, G Lucas Patrick, G Dan Feeney, DE Yannick Ngakoue, DE Rasheem Green, DT Justin Jones, LB Dylan Cole, OC Luke Getsy
2024 NFL Draft
QB Caleb Williams (1.01), WR Rome Odunze (1.09), OT Kiran Amegadjie (3.75), P Tory Taylor (4.122), DE Austin Booker (5.144)
Projected starters
QB: Caleb Williams (R)
RB: D’Andre Swift
WR: DJ Moore
WR: Keenan Allen
WR: Rome Odunze (R)
TE: Cole Kmet
LT: Braxton Jones
LG: Teven Jenkins
C: Ryan Bates
RG: Nate Davis
RT: Darnell Wright
DE: Montez Sweat
DT: Andrew Billings
DT: Gervon Dexter Sr.
DE: DeMarcus Walker
LB: Tremaine Edmunds
LB: T.J. Edwards
CB: Jaylon Johnson
FS: Kevin Byard III
SS: Jaquan Brisker
SCB: Kyler Gordon
CB: Tyrique Stevenson
2024 outlook
The second half of the 2023 season went about as well as possible for Chicago, as they played significantly better football when November hit with a 5-4 record down the stretch—and all four losses were close, one-possession games. At the same time, the Panthers’ struggles led to them handing over the No. 1 pick and prized quarterback prospect Caleb Williams, so expectations are now extremely high for a team that has a highly talented signal-caller, plenty of weapons, a solid offensive line, and a stingy defense.
Depth is also improved compared to a season ago, so it’ll be up to new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to get everyone involved; for what it’s worth, Jaxon Smith-Njigba expressed disappointment with his usage as a rookie when Waldron was with the Seahawks, and Chicago has a similar situation with No. 9 overall pick Rome Odunze joining DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. In the backfield, I would hope D’Andre Swift isn’t simply handed a feature role because he signed a three-year, $24 million deal this offseason, and Khalil Herbert (career 4.9 yards per carry) has always impressed when given the opportunity.
Defensively, the Bears were a different unit following the acquisition of Montez Sweat in 2023, and they largely have the same group back—which could put them among the best in football if they pick up where they left off. That said, Justin Jones was an underrated loss at defensive tackle, and it’s possible Chicago takes a step back if Gervon Dexter Sr. and/or Zacch Pickens don’t emerge in Year 2, and the depth at cornerback will be tested if there is an injury.
Position battle to watch: Center
Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton were both acquired this offseason, but only one of them will start—creating an intriguing position battle over the next month. I would give the edge to Bates with general manager Ryan Poles having tried to sign or trade for him multiple times in previous years before getting the Bills to agree to a move in the spring, but Shelton was a 17-game starter at the pivot for the Rams in 2023.
Breakout candidate: DE Dominique Robinson
The Bears are a team with very few roles up for grabs and most of their players being established, so Robinson is the choice here as someone we really liked coming out of Miami (OH) in 2022. The thought was he was a developmental prospect after just two years on defense, but he’s very athletic with prototype size, and the hope is that he’ll put everything together in Year 3.
Circle on the calendar: Week 13 (@ DET) | Thursday, November 28 – 12:30 PM ET
The second Sunday Night Football of the season is when Caleb Williams will be introduced to a primetime audience as the Bears head to Houston, but I’d expect Chicago to be contending for a playoff spot into November—so the Thanksgiving showdown versus Detroit is key. Last year, Chicago played the Lions extremely tough to earn a split (including intercepting Jared Goff four times), and Detroit will be a determined squad that wants to end their seven-game losing streak on Thanksgiving.
Bottom line
In general, I believe the Chicago roster might be a bit overrated based on some of the praise this offseason, but having a franchise quarterback matters more than anything else—and that’s where the team should be in excellent shape. The expectation is that the Bears will compete for a wild card spot, though we’ll see what happens if they fail to take a step forward in 2024.