Bears Rank Last in Sports Illustrated Post – NBC Chicago

The rank bears die at the end of the new SI Power Rankings post originally featured on NBC Sports Chicago

Ask the 10 experts what they expect for the Bears this season, and you’ll likely get 10 answers saying that pushing the playoffs is out of the question. Most believe that the Bears are different between a bad or half group. On Wednesday though, Sports Illustrated ranked the Bears as the worst team in the NFL after the draft. The big fear for SI is that the Bears haven’t added enough playmakers to their picks.

“Velus Jones Jr. won’t fix Justin Fields’ situation, even if he’s better than any receiver in the country on the cause of left tackles (or breaking tackles after the arrest, according to Sports Info Solutions), “wrote Conor Orr. “I know I’m a little alarmed about Fields, but it’s hard to imagine him regaining normal feeling this year despite a nice change in coaching. Bears fans may feel differently, but how is that? has this draft allayed any of our concerns about the talent around their young quarterback?

It’s hard to argue against the noticeable lack of help for Fields coming out of the draft, especially in a class that is expected to produce many, many future stars. But the Bears are high on the versatility of the playmakers they have on the roster. That includes sixth-round “running back” Trestan Ebner, who can line up wide and should be described as an athletic swiss-army knife.

More than the playmakers though, the Bears have done a significant job of rebuilding and reshaping the offensive line, and hope to give Fields better protection. If that happens, it will elevate the game to everyone on offense, not just at Fields.

Orr did not buy what the Bears sold.

“Two of its starts are likely to be 2021 selections from outside the first round,” Orr wrote. “It can be scary.”

It is reasonable to question what Jenkins will bring to the team in 2022 considering his limited playing time as a rookie. But Jenkins has already shown the poor NFL streak that Ryan Pace attracted to him last year, and a move to the right tackle this year ー the position he first played in college should help as well. It’s a bit unfair to just say things that can be scary when there’s Borom inside, though. He was forced to duty on the left side in Week 1 after Jason Peters was injured, and in 15 snaps, Borom looked solid before sustaining his own injury. On his return there have been ups and downs, but he usually looks like a thief as a fifth-round pick.

You should consider the additions made by the Bears on defense as well. Even with Khalil Mack going to Los Angeles, it’s a unit that needs to develop alongside Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker in high school. That was the team’s biggest weakness last year, and it could quickly become their biggest strength. If the strategy of Matt Eberflus and Alan Williams can help the team generate more takeaways, that will not only help relieve defensive tension, but also give Fields more chances to score on offense.

Of course you have to look at the teams around the league, too. The Falcons were prepared for a pathetic season after Matt Ryan was sold to the Colts. One of their best defensive players, Foyesade Oluokun also left free agency. The Panthers are set to open the season with a QB competition between Sam Darnold and third-round draft pick Matt Corral. Their offense is in the hands of Ben McAdoo, whose previous stints have included working on poor offense for the Jaguars and Giants.

Then there are other teams, rebuilding like the Bears, but not too far away, like the Seahawks and Texans. Houston is far from making their team better in the draft by adding Derek Stingley Jr., Kenyon Green, Jalen Pitre and John Metchie III, but their offense has fewer proven players than the Bears. Seattle on the other hand has only recently begun their rebuilding efforts. They split up with Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, and seem to be heading into their most painful period in more than a decade.

The Bears have no easy path forward. Installing a new program with a second-year quarterback and question marks in other offensive positions is a challenge. But other teams across the league are ready for more difficult times.

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