The Chicago Bears are hoping that the 2022 season is rock bottom for the franchise. The team went 3-14, losing 10 straight games to finish out the campaign. That led to them landing the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which they parlayed into multiple assets from the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers traded four draft picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Bears in exchange for the first overall pick. Landing Moore was one of the many moves general manager Ryan Poles made to ensure that Justin Fields has all of the pieces around him to succeed.
This offseason, Chicago committed to the Ohio State product. He was selected by the previous regime in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft after a trade up with the New York Giants. Rumors swirled that Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus could opt to bring in a new young signal caller of their own, but they showed their confidence in Fields to continue developing.
Heading into Year 3, there are now some expectations surrounding Fields. Not only is a jump in his production expected, but the supporting cast around him is greatly improved. The Bears made upgrades not only to his pass-catching weapons but to the offensive line as well.
The time is now for the former Buckeye to really burst onto the scene. And, his teammates are confident that this will occur. Recently, cornerback Jaylon Johnson spoke about Fields being ready to take that next step after seeing him work out during the offseason.
“I expect him to shine,” Johnson said. “I think it’s one thing to come in rookie year and learn a new system then have to go into a new system. He never really got a chance to be comfortable. I think for him now he’s finally having a chance to get comfortable. He has some new guys. Everything’s in an upward projection for him.” (H/T MSN)
Fields has already proven to be a dynamic playmaker with his legs. Last season he rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, falling just short of Lamar Jackson’s record of 1,206 set in 2019. Fields did miss two games, otherwise, that record very well would be his.
It is even more impressive that he was able to produce like that knowing there wasn’t a threat in the passing game. Chicago had the least productive offense through the air last season and Fields was sacked a league-high 55 times.
That should all change in 2023 with the team improving immensely around him. While the Bears are still a few moves away from being contenders, they will surprise some people this upcoming season as long as Fields makes the strides he is capable of making.
