You know that saying, “you
can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig”, that is how I feel about the
Chicago Bears. I can sit at this computer, go over a bunch of stats, and try to
boost the fans hope in this team. That just isn’t realistic. The Bears stunk to
the high heavens last year. They didn’t make any significant improvements and
if their rookie quarter doesn’t develop this season they’re 5 years away from
contending for a division title. This is a review blog, so I will discuss the team’s
off-season moves and some of their star players. Just don’t read this expecting
to hear from the Bears hype-man, because I ain’t he and he aint I!
Getting right to it, the Bears are a better team with the
departures of Alshon Jeffery and Jay Cutler. I know it’s hard to consider them
being better losing their best player in Jeffery, but they are. Alson Jeffery
has the size, skill set, and determination to be a stud wide receiver, when
healthy. He has only played a full 16 game season once in his five-year career.
Jeffery did play 14 games in 2013, so he gets credit for that. Every other season
he has missed four games or more. Jeffery is only getting older and if you want
your young quarterback to develop; his top weapon has to be on the field.
Losing Jeffery forces the Bear to have to put a solid wide receiver unit around
Trubisky, which means he can grow and groom his potential top wide receiver. Do
I really need to tell you why losing Jay Cutler is a good thing for this team? This
team won 3 games last season. Jeffery wouldn’t put them in any better a
position to win more games. It’s time for the Bears to get more versatility at
the wide receiver position.
In comes Kevin White! White’s injury history is worse
than Jeffery’s. He missed the entire 2015 season and only played in four games
in 2016. The difference is, this will be Kevin Whites third season and he has
just as much to prove as Trubisky. Kevin White is a physical specimen standing
6’3 220 lbs, runs a 4.35 forty-yard dash, and post a 36.5 in vertical. His physical
attributes alone require the Bears to be patience with him while he shakes this
injury bug. If White can be develop into the number one receiver they hope he
can be, they may have something special at wide receiver for the next five to
six seasons. Also consider, the Bears may be able to get him on the cheap come
contract time. White was raw coming out of college and losing two season of
development puts him behind the curve. The league has gone to a wide-open passing
attack so he should get plenty of opportunities this season. They’re going to
need him in the future, his young quarterback is going to need him. Until White
shows he can be the wide receiver they need they will have to ride the legs of
Jordan Howard.
It’s hard to find bright spots on a team that won 3 games
last season. Jordan Howard was that lone bright spot. This is a passing league
and the Bear certainly have to find them a quarterback. In the meantime, they
can lean on Howard. He was their fifth round pick last season and turned into
their best player. Howard ran for over 1300 yards, at 5.2 yards a clip! The
best thing the Bears can give Mitch Trubisky is a running game and they have a
very good running back. If Kevin white is slow to develop and the other receiver
aren’t getting it done, turn the offense over to Howard. This team is going to
need a ton of work anyways, so solidify the offensive line, and ride Howard
until the other pieces on offense come together.
I’m not going to dress up this pig (Chicago Bears). That
means I’m not going into detailed statistical analysis, or team rankings,
because they won 3 games. That alone should tell you everything you need to
know about the Bears. They won’t be making any magical worst to first run this
season. The defense is still a mess. Young pass rusher Lenoard Floyd appears to
be legit, hopefully he can improve this season. They didn’t really add anything
to the rest of the defensive line. Bringing in Prince Amukamara and Markus
Cooper will give them better options are that cornerback position than they had
last season, but neither one of them are pro bowl players. Adrian Amos is quietly
becoming a rising young star at the safety position and he has to continue to develop
in 2017. This isn’t a unit that will hold teams to under twenty points per game,
but they do have some young pieces that will help them moving forward.
The main thing to focus on with the Bears is the
quarterback situation. They brought in Mike Glennon via free agency then traded
up in the draft to get Mitch Trubisky. Many people considered this a bad move
but it provides them time. Glennon can be a quality starter while Trubisky
learns and develops at the pro level. With the personnel surrounding the
quarterback position, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to let the rookie sit and
watch his first season. That will all depend on how well Glennon plays. If he
is stinking it up then throwing in the future quarterback and letting him learn
on the fly would be the better move.
The Bears have low expectations this season. At some
point this season we will see Trubisky, unless Glennon has them contending for
a playoff spot (picture that). The Bears are collecting some young talent that
will ultimately make this team better. Jordan Howard appears to be a legit
starting running back in this league. Lenard Floyd and Adrian Amos appear to be
solid pieces that this defense can build around. They must be patience with the
development of Kevin White and Mitch Trubisky. This team is under construction
and nothing they did this offseason changes that. I expect them to be one of
the worst teams in the NFL again.
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