We should probably hold off on expecting them to compete until 2024. The Bears would have to hit on every draft pick and free agent for them to legitimately compete in 2023.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

You can always luck your way into fringe contention in the NFL. Look at the Giants or Commanders. Those teams have gaping holes but are still competitive. I'm not saying the Bears can win the SB next year. I'm saying "rebuilding" as we understand it in the MLB and NBA doesn't work the same way in the NFL. Less games means luck plays a larger role than it does in a 82 or 162 game season where the better rosters tend to rise to the top. In the NFL some dumbass team gets lucky and rises to the top because there's less opportunity for regression to the mean.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

Let’s just wait until they get to Arlington Heights to have expectations.

_________________

It will only take basic competence for the GM to significantly upgrade both lines next year which likely will be enough for the Bears to contend in a rapidly declining NFC North.

The move to the new stadium should put a bit of heat to the backsides of the sleepy McKaskey clan, a crowd of 35,000 looks ok at Soldier Field, but will look embarrassingly bad in a cavernous new stadium.

They could accelerate the rebuild by signing a couple Dline man in Free Agency and then firing Alan Williams, ditching that clown Tampa 2, and bringing in a seasoned defensive guy like Fangio or Gym Shorts

Bulls continue to sell out. Bears inside will too.

If they are not competing for a playoff spot next year, something has gone very wrong. They really aren't that far away given how bad the NFC is.

_________________

Yep, all you had to do was beat Minnny, Washington, Atlanta, and Detroit and you might have flirted with a playoff spot THIS season. Those games were lost by a total of 16 points. Not including the Miami game which was a three point loss. Crap teams can win in the NFL and then get exposed in the post-season for what they truly are.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

Yep. If they are not competing next year for a playoff spot then something is really bad and we will be looking at another change.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

A year from now it will be clear they need a new head coach.

Barring injuries, 100% agree. I don't expect the Bears to be a 12-13 win Super Bowl contender next year, but there is no reason (again, barring injury) why they cannot win their division or get a wild card spot in 2023.

Bears opponents 2023
Home: Packers, Vikings, Lions, Panthers, Falcons, Broncos, Raiders, NFC West (currently; Rams)
Away: Packers, Vikings, Lions, Chiefs, Chargers, Saints, Bucs, NFC East (currently; Giants), AFC North (currently; Steelers)

There are quite a few bad/mediocre teams listed above.

_________________

those are some enticing away locations for a guy's trip

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Probably open up @NO, and play @Chargers in week 3.

_________________

I think a better OC.

They seem to be scoring pretty well now..I'm more worried about the defensive minded head coach presiding over one of the worst defenses this league has ever seen, and he's hell bent on pushing his Tampa 2, a defense that hasn't been relavent in the NFL in over a decade. It's like reliving the nightmare that was the end of the Lovie era.

OC is the least of their concerns.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Believe it or not, I kind of agree with Parkins hairbrained idea of promoting Getsy to head coach so you don't lose him. What about Getsy as head coach and a reunion again with our old pal Vic Fangio as DC? He can turn around a defense quickly, we know that.

Yes hopefully between Chargers, Bucs and Saints one of them lands on a desirable spot on the calendar. Or, Bears/Steelers in Europe?

_________________
"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

Even KC is not a bad weekend location, as long as it is in the first half of the season

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I think the Lions will be the favorite to win the division next year. Goff is actually a good QB when he plays behind a good offensive line. When he's consistently under pressure he sucks though. The Lions have smartly made building offensive and defensive Lines a priority and now they're adding some skill players in the draft. They have two first round picks and two second round picks in the next draft so they're going to be able to get some stud defensive players.

The Bears have a lot of potential if Fields learns how to pass, but if he is a run first type of quarterback he's going to get beat up pretty fast and that's going to have a lingering effect. They're clearly 1-2 years behind the Lions rebuild.

It took them a few years to arrive. Even though they had some talent. It's not ridiculous to expect the Bears to knock at the playoff door in 2024. I can't recall a team that tore it down to the studs and made the playoffs a year later.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

There will be plenty of guys available that would significantly upgrade the interior of both lines, and that may be more than enough to get you to 8-9 wins and which puts you playoff contention.

Have to hit on your early draft picks and find a few guys that are day one starters on defense, especially at DT, DE, or LB.

They didn't really tear it down to the studs if you consider Fields the QB of the future.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I'm still not sold on Fields, but you're right. They're in a slightly better position than the Jaguars were a few years ago when they had $100M to spend and a top 2 draft pick.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

No matter how exciting I find Fields I can’t get on the Bears ready to make a leap up the standings. He has to get better at least making defense’s believe he can pass better.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

leap up means they are on par with the Seahawks, Giants, Commander, Falcons, etc., which they kind of already are. Those teams are all relevant for a playoff spot

the leap to the level after that is more important and not a year away

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Tier 1: Bills, Chefs, Eagles, 9ers

Tier 2: Cowboys, Vikings, Bengals, Dolphins

Tier 3: Ravens, Chargers, Seahawks, Commanders, Giants, Jets

Tier 4: Lions, Titans, Pats

Tier 5: everyone else


I think the Bears can/should get into tier 3 by next year at best.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

_________________
2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

The Chargers just beat the Dolphins. The Dolphins do not belong over them

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

If the Texans beat the Cowboys would you want the Texans above the Cowboys too? Miami lost, yes, but I think they're still better than the Chargers.

_________________
Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY