Bears season preview: Will Chicago make it to the playoffs?
Will the Chicago Bears go to the NFL playoffs? Well, that depends entirely on Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace.
That's because Pace, the general manager, in the offseason decided to sign Andy Dalton—a veteran QB that at its peak was only slightly above average but now is a little below average.
With Dalton on the roster, Nagy, the head coach, refuses to declare rookie Justin Fields as the starting QB. Fields is a Heisman Trophy nominee, a two-time Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year (2019 and 2020) winner, and a two-time Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year (2019 and 2020) winner. In short, Fields is much better than Dalton.
So, if Pace and Nagy insist on Dalton, the team won't go far. But if they decide to give Fields the keys to the castle, the Bears' season can be very positive.
Why is Justin Fields so important to the Bears?
Because of his talent, both throwing the ball and running with it.
When Mitchell Trubisky sent Nick Foles to the bench last year, the Bears got a little better. Why? Because even though Trubisky is a bad quarterback, he can run. Once, he was considered one of the best doing it. Fields is even better running, and with an arm that Trubisky doesn't have, the Bears' read-option becomes even better.
Justin Fields is a first-round 11th pick. It makes no sense to keep him on the bench. If Matt Nagy wants to have a winning season and keep his job while doing it, he must start Fields sooner rather than later.
The Bears defense
Three years ago, the Bears' defense was undoubtedly the best in the NFL. Khalil Mack is a top pass-rusher and will produce sacks and pressure, no doubt about that. But he's is the only certainty in the team.
Kyle Fuller, CB, is not on the team anymore because of his high salary. Desmond Trufant is injury-prone, having played only 15 games in the last two seasons. Robert Quinn is over 31.
Aside from Mack, the once-best defense in the NFL generates a lot more questions than answers.
Will the Chicago Bears go to the playoffs?
If Justin Fields starts sooner rather than later, the Bears have a real chance of going to the playoffs. But if Matt Nagy insists on Andy Dalton for most of the season, then the fans can forget to play any meaningful game in January.