As the Chicago Bears? season winds down, we can take stock of some of the players who will be a part of next season?s iteration. Because, if one thing is clear, there is still plenty of work to be done on this roster. The Bears have made several investments ? and, in some cases, re-investments ? into players over the past few years that make that a much easier task than it was when General Manager Ryan Poles assumed control.
Team president Kevin Warren remains a wild card, the enigma given the timing of his arrival and the amount of input (or lack thereof) on the pieces that are currently in place around him.
Still, we can assess some of the clear-cut figures.
Bears? Future Coming Into Focus in Week 16 vs Cardinals
1) Nate Davis is One of Few Locks Along Offensive Line
The Bears added Nate Davis as part of their offensive overhaul this offseason. Due to injuries and personal reasons, Davis has only played in eight games this season. Davis, who has logged just one full season in his previous four years in the NFL, spoke with Clocker Sports about being back in the fold consistently.
?Feels good to be able to get those reps down, be able to get the technique, start jelling with the guys,? Davis said before describing the things he?s tried to bring with him from his time with the Tennessee Titans.
Tennessee was a perennial playoff threat during Davis? tenure.
They made the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, posting double-digit wins in two of those campaigns before going 7-10 in 2022.
?Just understand that, no matter what’s going on, every single week, every single day, go out there try to improve. Continue to try to get better, keep your head down, and understand that we’re going to continue to get better as a team. And take opportunities we have left, and do the best we can.?
Davis noted how helpful his teammates and coaches have been during his transition.
But it hasn?t been the smoothest on the field. He has the team?s sixth-best marks in both pass and run blocking this season, per Pro Football Focus.
Still, he and rookie right tackle Darnell Wright appear to be the only sure-fire locks along the offensive line. The others have either health (Teven Jenkins) or performance (Lucas Patrick, Cody Whitehair, and Braxton Jones) concerns.
2) Kyler Murray is a Cautionary Tale on Justin Fields
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is one of the most dynamic players at the position, even at a size much smaller than most of his peers. His ability to be a threat in the run and the pass is something the Bears have to be ready for, and Head Coach Matt Eberflus says they are.
And Justin Fields has been a key to their preparation.
?When you’re facing a quarterback that has mobility, you certainly have to account for that every single play,? Eberflus said on December 22. ?Can you do it 100% of the time? I don’t I don’t think you can. But you have to be close to that and ? he’s prepared us for that.?
But, perhaps, the path that Murray is on can also prepare the Bears who have a chance to do what the Cardinals did.
Arizona replaced Josh Rosen, the No. 10 overall pick in 2018, with Murray, No. 1 in 2019. Granted, that timeline was far more drastic. But the Bears, armed with the Carolina Panthers first-round pick in the upcoming draft, which has the best chances of landing No. 1 overall will be faced with a similar decision.
Fields has shown enough to make an argument to stick with him or hit the reset button, though there is something to be said for his standing within the locker room (and around the league).
Again, Murray?s situation ? complete with rumors of his work ethic ? could serve as a warning.
Not for Fields, though. For fellow Heisman winner and presumed No. 1 pick, Caleb Williams of USC. It?s not Williams? work ethic, but rather his ability to handle adversity that, along with his relatively diminutive stature at the position, could be cause for pause.
Fields doesn?t have the same questions that Rosen had, and he offers more upside too.
Williams is a far more widely accepted potential choice for the top pick than the even smaller Murray was coming out of Oklahoma, where Williams? collegiate career began.
3) Key Veterans Potentially at the End of Their Run
The future is coming for the Bears, which means some familiar faces are unlikely to return next season. At the top of that list could be recent additions like Patrick, Robert Tonyan, and Equanimeous St. Brown. The Bears brought them in to help with the offensive transition. They failed to make a significant impact, though, save for Patrick of late.
The list could also include Jaylon Johnson, Justin Jones, or Darnell Mooney. All of them are in the final year of their respective contracts.
It could also include some names who are still under contract for next season.
At the top of that list would have to be safety Eddie Jackson and guard Cody Whitehair. Jackson figures to have a better shot at sticking around. The Bears have to cap space to keep them. And their teammates like and respect them.
But Jackson has been a part of the defense?s resurgence this season. But the Bears demoted Whitehair to a reserve role before Jenkins? latest injury forced him back into the starting lineup.
4) Ryan Poles? Draft Identity
This is certainly not something for Week 16, but rather for the offseason. After just two draft classes, Bears general manager Ryan Poles? draft strategy appears evident. At the top of the list is where ability meets character. But Poles is also not shy about doubling down. He has even tripled down in some instances on a position to shore it up.
That could mean multiple picks along the offensive line and at wide receiver in the 2024 draft.