Identifying Bears team strength, biggest weakness entering 2024 NFL season
The Bears are expected to be good this season. That’s a common take across the country, with optimism somewhere above the clouds in Chicago itself.
That’s warranted, considering the talent surrounding rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and depth on this defense. That said, this roster has flaws. You can’t consider the Bears favorites to win the NFC North, not with the Detroit Lions’ recent run, Jordan Love on the rise in Green Bay and both teams coming off a postseason berth.
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The Bears probably rank No. 1 among their close competition in certain position groups and might pull up the rear in others. Where are those areas?
Let’s identify the Bears’ biggest team weakness and biggest team strength:
Team strength: Offensive weapons
Bears brass has expressed over and again that they want Williams to play point guard most of the time. That’s good advice, considering the options available to him. D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze and Tyler Scott front the receiver corps. D’Andre Swift leads the running back room. Cole Kmet is a dynamic threat at tight end.
That’s also an abbreviated list. There’s depth and talent behind the marquee names, leaving so many capable of turning short passes into chunk plays and first-down yardage.
Allen, Moore and Swift all had more than 1,200 yards of total offense in 2023, with those gains made at efficient clips. Williams has reliable options at each level, with Odunze and Moore as lethal deep threats. Allen and Kmet can command the middle of the field. Both Swift and Khalil Herbert can be impactful as outlet receivers or simply taking handoffs.
Everyone mentioned thus far had a solid training camp and has earned Williams trust. There’s a comfort level already established that has provided confidence, enhancing the prospect that Williams will just get rid of the ball quickly or let these guys bail him out in a pinch.
It’s rare for a rookie quarterback drafted first overall to start a career in such a good situation, which is largely due to the talent around him.
Team weakness: Pass rush
We all know what Montez Sweat can do off the edge. The man has 41 sacks in five seasons, including 12.5 last year. He can create steady pressure, but the Bears need to help him out up front. Uncertainty abounds off the opposite edge, without a clear rotation outside Sweat’s three-down presence.
They traded for Darrell Taylor, a talented pass rusher acquired in trade from Seattle who must adjust from an odd to even front. He had 9.5 sacks in 2022, so there’s potential for him to create tons of pressure in a contract year. DeMarcus Walker can play inside and out. There are a bunch of young players available after that. Austin Booker highlights that group, though it’s unfair to expect much from a fifth-round rookie.
Chicago finished 31st in sacks last season with 30. That number has to go up. The Bears secondary is awesome but they can’t cover forever. It’s also unwise to decrease their ranks with regular blitzes, so the front four must find a way to pressure the quarterback. If that happens, the Bears defense will be tough to beat. If the defensive line proves ineffective, winning gets a whole lot harder.
The Bears kickoff the season on Sunday, September 8 at noon vs. the Titans! Tune in to the Marquee Sports Network App immediately after the game for The Official Bears Postgame Live presented by United Airlines. For more information on how to watch, click here.https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/shows/bearspostgame/.