What's Left for the Bears?

When a team struggles from the outset as the Bears did in September and October, it's easy to lose track of what's important for a season.

It's difficult to attach significance to a season when winning occurs so rarely.

Is it all about player development then? Is it about continuity of personnel?

Then injuries enter the picture and a team already expected to struggle gets left behind because of depth issues.

With a mini-bye weekend and then seven games left with some obvious signs of progress showing, here's the 30,000-foot view of the rest of this Bears season.

The Real 2023 Bears

The Bears started the season with a defense that hadn't been on the practice field together until after final roster cuts, and then that defense was gone by Week 2 because of injuries.

Now, they have a new pass rusher in Montez Sweat and when Treamine Edmunds returns they could have the full defensive lineup together and playing for the first time in 10 weeks.

The offensive lines started out the year without Teven Jenkins, then was without Braxton Jones. They've had guard Nate Davis on the field for only four games and 220 plays.

When Davis returns to health, they'll finally have the full first string offensive line playing for the first time all season

The real 2023 Bears offense and defense gets to show what could have been with better health.

The Retention Push

At three wins for the second straight year, retention of the coaching staff would seem debatable.

If they're at least able to indicate they can win games, especially against divisional opponent, it's possible president Kevin Warren wouldn't be angling for a coaching chanee.

The Cincinnati Bengals won two games and four games in the first two seasons under Zac Taylor, then was in the Super Bowl in Year 3.

Sometimes it takes a little longer in the rebuild and the Bears did dump all their salary in Year 1.

However, there is the situation with assistant coaches departing and whether there is real progress being made might be the determining factor.

It does look like defensive progress has been made.

There is also the matter of retention of assistant coaches.

Winning is the elixir that cures all.

The Contract Push

Jaylon Jones, Darnell Mooney, Yannick Ngakoue, Justin Jones, Lucas Patrick, tight end Robert Tonyan Jr., D'Onta Foreman and kicker Cairo Santos are starters or key players who will be free agents.

If they can impress down the stretch, it's the kind of thing to make a new Bears contract possible.

Ending NFC North Misery

If the Bears are ever to get around to taking the North, they're going to need to win some games in the North.

More pertinent to their current situation, they would simply like to at least win one in the division. Their remaining losing streaks to end are 11 straight NFC North losses, and in the season finale, nine straight losses to the Packers.

The Justin Fields Saga

Will he show enough progress after his thumb injury to convince the Bears to pick up his fifth-year option?

Some would argue he's already decided this in the negative by not showing enough development to this point.

It's debatable whether he has. His career passer rating is still only 82.3 and Mitchell Trubisky's was better when the Bears decided against a contract exptension.

However, there is a decidedly positive trend overall to his last 17 starts so they might take this into consideration.

Either way, the last seven games could be the ones to make or break is time in Chicago.

Young Player Development

Darnell Wright has been impressive without much experience and the Bears will get to see how much better he makes a healthier offensive line, possibly with their full starting group on the field for more than one or two games.

Developing players like Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens and Tyrique Stevenson take priority over wins with just another loss or two.

Playoffs

Playoffs? Did you say playoffs?

The Bears wouldn't be the first 3-7 team to make the playoffs. The 1970 Cincinnati Bengals did. The 2012 Washington Redskins did it. The 2020 Washington Football Team did it.

The Detroit Lions started 1-6 last year, a game worse than the Bears were this year, and then went on a run that got them within a game of making the playoffs.

Of course, the Bears hadn't shown the kind of defense or offense capable making such a run.

That is, until they won three of their last six games, two of those without their quarterback and with key members of the defense or offensive line missing. The defense is now No. 2 against the run and No. 1 in yards per attempt, they suddenly seem to have a pass rush.

By the next game, they could have complete health at a time when they're starting to play their best. Khalil Herbert, Justin Fields and Tremaine Edmunds could be returning.

If a team is going to make some kind of a ridiculous run, it would be tougher to find a more favorable set of circumstances as a launch point.

Christmas Gifting

Barring some sort of miracle, the Christmas Eve game at Soldier Field between the Bears and Cardinals might be one of the most embarrassing situations the NFL has faced with scheduling.

The Cardinals will not want to win if they want the first pick.

It's possible the Bears could help their draft cause by losing, and pinning a win on the Cardinals. It would mean the Cardinals could finish with a better record than the Panthers, so Carolina would finish with the worst record in the league and that gives the first pick to the Bears.

The Bears might want to gift a victory to the Cardinals on Christmas Eve.

Of course, no one would actually admit this.

What a day to decide to start Nate Peterman at QB.

2024

It is possible to build momentum for the next season, even though most coaches say each season is one until itself. The Lions were a good example. They had momentum going into the end of 2023 and are now in command of the NFC North.

Especially if most if the pieces are in place and their futures certain, there is the chance for building something dangerous for the next season.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven