The Chicago Bears dropped their fourth straight on Sunday in Atlanta. While people try to settle debates on how much Justin Fields was to blame for it (he wasn’t), there is little choice but to look forward. It doesn’t look great. Fields was clearly uncomfortable after the game ended, favoring his left shoulder. The offensive line still can’t protect. The defense can’t stop anybody. They’ve now allowed 27 points or more in four straight games. It is beyond obvious this isn’t a good football team. Such is the byproduct of GM Ryan Poles blowing up the roster this off-season.
Forget the playoffs. The only question moving forward is how bad this might get. Many Bears fans are shifting their gazes to 2023. Chicago will be back in the 1st round of the NFL draft. Recent projections have the picking 6th overall. That has since changed. Now they’re up to 3rd, pending the outcome of the Raiders-Broncos game. If Las Vegas wins, the Bears will stay put. If not, they slip to 4th. Either way, they’re now in control of a top five pick for the first time since 2017. There is a good chance it will stay that way too.
Take a look at their upcoming schedule.
- New York Jets – A 6-4 record with 31 sacks on defense
- Green Bay Packers – No need to say anything
- Philadelphia Eagles – Are 9-1 with dominant line play
- Buffalo Bills – Are 7-3 with an All-Pro quarterback in Josh Allen
- Detroit Lions – Have won three straight and beat the Bears already
- Minnesota Vikings – Are 8-1 and beat the Bears already
There is a very real chance the Bears don’t win another game this season.
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The Chicago Bears have competition for those top pick spots.
Right now, the Houston Texans are in complete control of the #1 pick. Their loss to Washington dropped them to 1-8-1. They are the worst team in football and look like it almost every week. Chicago’s chances of overtaking them are remote because the Texans are bad, and the Bears own a tiebreaker after beating them earlier this year. It’s with the #2 pick that things get interesting. Las Vegas controls that spot at 2-7. Chicago and Carolina are currently 3-8, with five other teams sitting at 3-7 or 3-6. The competition is stiff.
Considering Fields’ health and the brutal schedule ahead, it isn’t a crazy stretch to think they’re a favorite to secure a top three pick next spring. That would put them in a prime position to land a difference-maker for a roster that desperately needs one. Maybe a pass rusher like Will Anderson, a dominant defensive tackle like Jalen Carter, or a bookend offensive tackle. Then again, Poles could also auction the pick off for a bounty of picks to any team seeking a quarterback. It is a great spot to be in, even if fans must go through a rough six weeks to get there.
