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Bears defense expecting to be among the NFL’s best in 2024

Kevin Byard has high expectations for the Bears defense in 2024.

The Chicago Bears defense has high expectations heading into the 2024 season. They not only believe they can be but expect to be among the NFL’s top defenses.

Veteran safety Kevin Byard, who signed with the team this offseason, said the expectation in the locker room is this defense will be among the best in the league heading into the 2024 season. The defense’s success will be key considering the Bears have a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams making his debut this season.

“I mean, we’re expecting to be a top defense,” Byard said last week at OTAs. “Anything less than that is a letdown. And also, just know full well that with having a younger quarterback, especially during the year, we have to get off to a fast start. I would say looking over the horizon or whatever, you never know how early in the season, as far as the offense with a lot of new pieces kind of meshing together, so as a defense we’ve go to make sure that we’re being a top defense.

“As we get later in the year and those guys are rolling, all three phases are rolling together, just being a defense we got to make sure that we’re holding it down our end of the bargain no matter what the score is, what the offense is doing, what anybody’s doing. We’ve got to make sure we’re a top defense. That’s what we expect, and we talk about that every single day, even on a day like we had today, the last couple periods it’s like, ‘Hey, we haven’t done anything. We’re just getting started.’ So that’s our plan, and that’s what we’re going to continue to work for every single day.”

Chicago didn’t completely overhaul the defense, like last offseason. So the high expectations stem from the current group in place (with a few additions, including Byard), which is coming off a strong finish in 2023.

The Bears have one of the best linebacker corps in the league with T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds and Jack Sanborn, who now have an entire season together under their belt. Chicago also has a potential top secondary with cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson along with safeties Jaquan Brisker and Byard. Head coach Matt Eberflus, who took over defensive play calling duties in Week 3 of last season, also proved to be an effective defensive coordinator.

If anything, the defensive line is the one question mark. And it’s a group that features Pro Bowl edge rusher Montez Sweat and some other young players, so there’s belief this unit can make progress in 2024.

If the Bears defense can get off to a strong start and make a statement, they could keep Chicago in contention for a playoff berth and make things easier for their rookie quarterback.

“When you look at the talent that’s on paper, it’s exciting to see,” Byard said. “But at the end of the day, we’ve got to put it together. What’s on paper doesn’t really matter. We’ve just got to continue to work every single day, make each other better. Obviously as we get closer to training camp, making sure that once we leave here, after minicamp and everything, guys are continuing to work, making sure that we come in so that we can hit the ground running when training camp starts.”

D’Andre Swift must set the tone for Bears offense

The Bears are in need of a tone-setter on offense. D’Andre Swift might be that guy.

The Chicago Bears are trying to be a good football team in 2024. In 2022, they went 3-14 and in 2023 they went 7-10. The four-game improvement seems to have some people believing in them. 

The Chicago Bears are looking to make strides in 2024. If their offseason additions to the roster pan out, they could be a winning team. There’s a lot that needs to go right for them to succeed, but they have plenty of talent on the roster.

The defense improved once Montez Sweat joined the party in the middle of last season. With the defensive-minded Matt  Eberflus in the equation, they may be able to take an even bigger step in 2024. 

That means that it is up to their offense to get it done. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will take over the reins this season, and the hope is he’ll be the guy to finally deliver the Bears a long-overdue championship.

Williams will have no shortage of weapons in his rookie season, including wide receivers like DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze along with tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett.

But having a strong running game is arguably the biggest key for this offense. They need a guy who will open up space for both the receivers and quarterback, which is why they signed D’Andre Swift this offseason.

After spending the first three years of his career with the Detroit Lions, he spent last season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Swift had a productive season, recording his first 1,000-yard rushing season.

Now, he comes to Chicago looking to build on last year’s success. Swift is a dangerous player who will work out well with this team. He can change the game with his rushing and his receiving, which is also something the Bears will benefit from moving forward.

He’ll lead a strong running back group that also features Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson. While each brings something unique to the table, Swift will be the lead back in a run game that should help Williams find success in his rookie season.

Bears could send message to NFL with strong start in 2024

The Bears could send a message to the rest of the league with a strong start to open the 2024 season.

The Chicago Bears will host the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, and it feels like a must-win right off the bat. Starting the season off well with a new-look offense led by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is very important. It could be the key to having a good year.

One of the biggest reasons that Chicago must win that first game is because of what comes next in Week 2. The Houston Texans look like a squad that could be among the best in the NFL soon, where C.J. Stroud is approaching top-five quarterback territory.

If the Bears were to beat the Texans in prime time, they’d be sending a massive message to the rest of the NFL letting them know that they have arrived. Nobody outside of Chicago expects the Bears to be great, but everybody knows that they have a higher ceiling coming into this year.

Getting a big win over the Texans would show that the defense did a good enough job containing Stroud and Houston’s offense. It would also mean that Williams and his arsenal of weapons impressed. That sounds great for a fanbase longing for a team that can win with consistency.

If the Bears come into 2024 with that same drive that they finished 2023 with, they will continue right where they left off. There is even more talent on the roster, which makes it even better. If they can beat the Texans, and start off 2-0, they might be able to beat just about anyone on the schedule. Coming into this 2024 season feels very promising knowing that there are no shortage of winnable games on the schedule.

Why Bears punter Tory Taylor will be more impactful than people think

New punter Tory Taylor will be a weapon for the Bears.

The Chicago Bears made a bold move when they selected punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft. General manager Ryan Poles doesn’t care what anyone thinks as he is building the team the way that he wants to. So far, he has mostly had hits so he is in the good graces of fans right now.

The punter he selected isn’t just any punter either. Taylor is one of the greatest punters we’ve ever seen come through the draft. His play at the University of Iowa was thrilling to watch. He can kick the ball in a way that nobody the Bears had available to them can. There is a chance that Taylor is one of the best in the NFL right away based on his film from college.

Taylor is a player who will impact the Bears more than people think. It’s very important to have a great punter when you’re a young up-and-coming team. There is a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams with some new weapons there that may take some time to get going in each game.

Having a punter like Taylor could mask any mistakes made by the offense because the opposition won’t be getting a favorable field position. With the defense that they are building, it could work out well for everyone.

We know that Williams already texted Taylor saying he won’t have to punt all that often. The confidence is wonderful, but the reality is that an elite punter will help everyone on the roster when you think about it deeply. This was a great move by Poles.

It won’t be fun to see him come out onto the field because it means the Bears aren’t scoring on that drive, but it is comforting knowing that Chicago has a weapon who can flip the field like Taylor.

Bears HC Matt Eberflus must get wins in the early stages of 2024 season

Matt Eberflus could find himself on the hot seat if the Bears don’t get off to a strong start.

Somehow, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus survived the largest coaching purge in the history of the NFL. There was an all-time free-agent coaching class in the early stages of the offseason, and general manager Ryan Poles opted to stick with the only guy he’s ever hired for the job.

Halfway through the 2023 season, it seemed like there would be no chance that Eberflus would be the coach in 2024. He made a lot of bad decisions, and the way he sounded talking to the media made it feel like he was in way over his head.

However, once the defense added edge rusher Montez Sweat, things started to change. The unit looked like how Eberflus wanted it to look, and the team started to win more football games. They ultimately finished 7-10. Instead of firing Eberflus, Poles believes that he can be the guy that gets this team over the hump.

Eberflus now has a new haircut and swagger, and he’s looking good. None of that will matter unless he starts to win football games at a higher rate. The Bears have never fired a coach in the middle of the season over their century-long history. Eberflus may be the first if he has a bad start.

It is hard to think of a coach who will get a hotter seat quicker than Eberflus if Chicago gets off to a bad start. Winning in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans is important but playing well from that point on is a must for Eberflus. He has the tools on the roster to lead a great football team, it’s on him to go out there and perform as a top head coach in the league.

Bear Necessities: Recapping the first week of OTAs

The Bears kicked off OTAs this week. We recap that and other headlines.

This is our online morning newsletter, Bear Necessities — weekly offseason edition. Subscribe to get the latest Bears news delivered to your mailbox every day.

What’s the latest with the Chicago Bears?

The Bears kicked off organized team activities (OTAs) this week at Halas Hall, where rookies and veterans took to the practice field for the first three of six voluntary practices before mandatory minicamp.

Here’s a look at the most recent and relevant Bears stories for the week of May 19.

OTAs

Other headlines

Montez Sweat is huge key to Bears’ defensive success in 2024

The Bears have a lot invested in Montez Sweat, and he’ll once again be key to the defense’s success in 2024.

The Chicago Bears are going to have a great season if a lot of things on offense go right for them. They have a new quarterback and tons of new weapons for him to utilize. 

The excitement is warranted, but they also need their defense to rise to the occasion if they want to compete for the playoffs. It probably needs to be better than above average if they want their season to end in the postseason. 

Last season, they struggled during the first half of the 2023 season. Like the entire team, they got better as the year went along. There is one point, however, that you can point to as the turning point of the defense’s late success.

That moment is when they made a trade with the Washington Commanders for defensive end Montez Sweat, who made an immediate impact with Chicago.

The Bears immediately signed him to a mega extension to lock in a cornerstone piece on defense for the future. He had a career year with 12.5 sacks and 63 pressures, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Sweat led both the Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5) in sacks.

Nobody is more important to the defense this season than Sweat. If he plays at the top of his game and is healthy, they should be able to be a great unit all around. 

General manager Ryan Poles has some good pieces around Sweat but may not be done. They could use another pass rusher, but they are in a good spot for now. If the offense lives up to the hype, and the defense does their job, Chicago has a good football team to watch in the fall. 

DJ Moore shares early impressions of Bears rookie Caleb Williams

Bears WR DJ Moore has been impressed with what he’s seen from rookie QB Caleb Williams already.

The Chicago Bears are ushering in a new era with quarterback Caleb Williams, who was selected with the No. 1 pick.

While wide receiver DJ Moore was a big proponent of Justin Fields remaining in Chicago, he understands the business of the NFL and is now going to bat for his new QB.

“Business is business. I seen it coming,” Moore said. “So, at the end of the day, (Fields) was the quarterback last year, now we got Caleb. We’re gonna ride through H-E-L-L and back with him, so I’m just looking forward to seeing what he put out.”

Moore shared his early impressions of Williams, who he worked out with on a couple of occasions before the start of OTAs. While Moore praised Williams’ natural playmaking ability, he also hailed the rookie’s leadership.

“You can see that the natural leadership is there,” Moore said. “The natural arm talent is there. Everything about him, it’s just always a positive thing. Even when he has a bad play, he’s looking to learn real fast right after. That’s all you can ask of him, for him to quickly forget but also learn at the same time.”

Case in point, Thursday’s practice at the conclusion of the first week of OTAs. Williams and the offense, down Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Darnell Wright and Nate Davis, had a rough outing where there were a lot of incompletions and interceptions.

But, as safety Kevin Byard and Moore pointed out, that’s to be expected and those are the practices that are going to help Williams in the long run as he makes his acclimation to the NFL.

“You just gotta know that the growing pains are going to be there,” Moore said.

Recent Super Bowl contenders show that Cole Kmet must show up for Bears

Cole Kmet will be key to the Bears’ success as they look to contend for a championship.

Many people are excited about the weapons the Chicago Bears have lined up for Caleb Williams in his first year. They have D’Andre Swift as their new running back and a receiving core that includes DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze. 

With that said, recent Super Bowl contenders reveal that the Bears need a lot of help from tight end Cole Kmet, who’s coming off a career year. These top-flight tight ends usually all find their way to the top of the mountain in the playoffs. If Kmet can take yet another step this year, he might help Chicago go far. 

The New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers each won rings with Rob Gronkowski in place. More recent examples of contenders include Travis Kelce with the Kansas City Chiefs, George Kittle with the San Francisco 49ers, Mark Andrews with the Baltimore Ravens, and Sam LaPorta with the Detroit Lions. 

If the Bears want to have the success that those teams have had, they need to make sure that Kmet gets going. It is very important to see him grow into a high-end producer. He has the tools around him now to take another step after an impressive year in 2023. He can be even better moving forward.

With the addition of another good tight end in Gerald Everett, Kmet will have more room out there. Running a two-tight end set should be beneficial for both guys in 2024. 

If Kmet can cement himself as a high-end offensive contributor, the Bears will certainly find more team success. The other teams around the league suggest that Chicago can be elite if this happens. With the other great weapons they have on offense, it feels very realistic. 

Keenan Allen has an important leadership role to fill with Bears

Bears rookies Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze will benefit from the presence of Keenan Allen.

The Chicago Bears have a young core of players on their roster. There are a few veterans in place, but a lot of their hope lives within the guys who are 25 years old or younger. Who is going to be the veteran who steps up in a leadership role?

One player that everyone should be looking at is wide receiver Keenan Allen, who was acquired in a trade this offseason. He has a lot to give this young team. Allen has been a star receiver in the NFL, and now is his time to also thrive in a mentor role.

There are two rookies who will benefit from Allen’s presence: quarterback Caleb Williams and receiver Rome Odunze.

Williams, the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, needs as much help as he can get to hit the ground running in the NFL. The Bears are giving Williams more help than they’ve ever given a rookie quarterback before, and Allen is a big part of it. Having a great veteran target in the huddle will help Williams throw the ball with confidence.

Odunze, selected at ninth overall, has a high ceiling and will benefit from getting to learn from the likes of Allen and DJ Moore. With those wideouts in place, Odunze is in good hands. 

Yes, it is very helpful to have a guy like Allen on the field because he’s been great at football for a long time — and he’s showed no signs of slowing down. It will also be helpful to have him because of what he brings off the field.