Optimism was high going into this season. Then again, it’s always high in the summer. Chicago Bears fans were thrilled to see Matt Eberflus get fired last year. Many felt it had to happen sooner. It was even better when Ben Johnson was hired as the replacement. This would give people an honest view of what this team is truly capable of. Two weeks into the season, it has become apparent that the coaching wasn’t the only problem with the Bears, as much as people wanted to believe it.
This roster still has considerable problems, mentally and physically.
It all starts up front, particularly on defense. The pass rush struggled to harass Jared Goff all afternoon, confirming what many were concerned about going into the season. This defensive front isn’t talented enough. The same goes for the offensive line. Darnell Wright is definitely a good player. So is Joe Thuney. Unfortunately, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalmn have struggled to start the year. Braxton Jones still hasn’t looked like himself prior to the injury last season.
Controlling the line of scrimmage remains at the core of their ongoing woes.
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The Chicago Bears have some tough decisions ahead.
Johnson and his staff are trying to make things work with a roster they didn’t have much of a hand in building. Most of the players are carryovers from the Eberflus era. If the season plays out like it’s started, it is possible that some major changes could be coming next spring. Johnson will want to bring in guys he feels give them a better chance to win. Who that could be is hard to gauge at the moment. Montez Sweat, Tremaine Edmunds, Cole Kmet, and D’Andre Swift will have hefty contracts the team can unload via trade or release. That would free up $37 million in cap space.
Free agency alone won’t solve the problem. The Chicago Bears must start stacking good drafts. This latest one was the first of the Johnson era. They will have to find a serious difference-maker for the trenches next April if they want to start shifting the direction of this team. Right now, each of their rivals in the division has considerable advantages in that area.
