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The Chicago Bears only won three games last season, but there’s plenty of optimism surrounding this team heading into 2023. And that starts with the mindset inside the locker room.
One thing that’s been evident this offseason is that there’s a new swagger about this 2023 Bears squad, which is confident, passionate and ready to prove doubters wrong.
“The energy is just so intense out there right now,” safety Eddie Jackson said. “When you get a bunch of guys like that, you’re going to create something special. … The type of guys we have in the locker room, real leaders, guys who really care about football.”
The Bears have some new veteran faces on the roster, including defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker, who have contributed to the culture.
When asked about his awareness of the team’s struggles last season, which included losing their final 10 games, Walker slammed a door on 2022.
“This is the 2023 Chicago Bears,” he said. “We got a whole new identity, whole new offense, whole new defense, whole new group of guys. Honestly, f–k that s–t.”
Not only do the Bears have a new-look roster, but the NFC North is wide open and ripe for the taking following Aaron Rodgers’ departure to the New York Jets. New tight end Robert Tonyan likes the Bears’ chances in the divison.
“I love where we are at,” he said. “Overlooked, underrated. Whatever you want to call it. They still have to step on the field and beat us.”
The Bears will have to prove it on the field when the season kicks off Sept. 10. But if last season is any indication — where Matt Eberflus kept his team competitive in most games despite having arguably the league’s worst roster — Chicago could go from worst to first.
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