The Chicago Bears have been one of the most active teams in free agency this offseason in the NFL. They had a ton of cap space to spend and have not been shy about using it. General manager Ryan Poles has filled multiple holes on the roster, as the team is much improved.
Chicago’s defense, which struggled mightily last season, received two huge upgrades at the linebacker spot with T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds. On offense, the team made a much-needed upgrade in the trenches, signing guard Nate Davis away from the Tennessee Titans.
Arguably the most impressive move that was made by the Bears’ front office was trading the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers. Chicago received four draft picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore in the deal.
Moore will round out what is now an impressive group of skill position players around Justin Fields. He joins Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool atop the depth chart while the team also signed tight end Robert Tonyan to pair with Cole Kmet.
The Bears will assuredly make some big improvements on the field this upcoming season given the changes to the roster. Just how good will they be? Wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown expects them to jump right to the top of the standings.
“We’re going from last to first real quick. We’re gonna put the league on notice.”
That is certainly a bold take for St. Brown, as the Bears finished with the worst record in the NFL during the 2022 season at 3-14. They finished the season on a 10-game losing streak, but things are certainly looking up in the Windy City.
Worst-to-first jumps occur somewhat regularly in the NFL. Just last season the Jacksonville Jaguars did it, selecting first overall in the 2022 NFL Draft before winning the AFC South division.
It certainly won’t be easy given the fact that the Bears face off against the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North, but they will certainly be more competitive in 2023.
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