With a very thorough and dominant beatdown of the Kansas City Chiefs by the Philadelphia Eagles the 2024-25 season has come to an end. And while I wasn't correct in well most of my picks I end this season on a high. That's right, a damn high. I guess this is the problem with being a fan of a team, any team is the never-ending spring of optimism is always right there at the end of every season. And for the Bears my cup runneth over. And for the first time in a long time, there is legit excitement going into this season. Why? Oh the reasons are many and since I got the time I'll tell you all about it.
*The Bears Hired The Best Coordinator On The Market
I've seen people make the argument that we have hired the hot coordinator before and throw out names like Matt Nagy and Marc Trestman. To that I say bullshit. Marc Trestman was coaching in the CFL and seen as a terrible hire at the time while Matt Nagy was just Andy Reid's coordinator and hadn't been seen as a serious candidate but more as an attempt to replicate the success of the Rams who had hired Sean McVay. The Bears hiring Ben Johnson was the first time they not only paid up, they got the consensus top coaching candidate and he chose us. Now will it work? I don't know but this is a change from the Bears normal routine of hiring a safe candidate and assembling a staff around him with strong coaching backgrounds.
*Build The O-Line Through The Draft/Free Agency
The most important thing to do this off season now that the coaching staff has been set is to build in the trenches. The most successful teams always have a dominant line on both sides of the ball. As of now on the offensive side of the ball the Bears have 1 lineman that I would call a cornerstone piece. The problem is there are 5 spots on the offensive line. My hope is to add a lineman through the draft, preferably Will Campbell from LSU, sign Trey Smith, maybe add a Zach Martin or Kevin Zeitler and baby we might be cooking with gas. As for the defensive side of the ball possibly trading for a Trey Hendrickson who had success under Dennis Allen in New Orleans would be a great help to Montez Sweat.
*Caleb Williams Going Into Year Two
I know he is going to always be compared to the other quarterbacks in his draft class but let's not pretend that Caleb is a bust by any means. I think that maybe, just maybe, both the Bears and the Commanders got their guy. Even with all of the turmoil in Chicago last year we got a young quarterback who in the face of getting scrutinized for everything, stood tall and was tough as shit behind a porous offensive line and inept play caller. Given that he has shown himself to be extremely coachable, getting him with an innovative play caller like Ben Johnson and weapons like DJ Moore, Cole Kmet and Rome Odunze the future is very bright for this young man with just some half way stable coaching.
*Ownership Appears To Be Getting Out The Way
Since the hiring of Ben Johnson it seems like the Bears were moving away from the model of having football decisions made or approved by George McCaskey grandson of the great George Halas. He does not appear to have the same acumen as say his brother who ran the team prior to him. So now that falls to Kevin Warren and Ryan Poles who appear to have the confidence of Ben Johnson that the team will be built in his vision and the owners will not meddle. Poles has made a lot of good moves such as fleecing the Panthers for the #1 pick, DJ Moore and other picks but he has had some blunders such as the Nate Davis signing and rolling with Matt Eberflus for one more season. Rumor has it that decision was not his but now there are no excuses.
Well there we have it, we are only a few days into the official offseason and I am already giddily looking up mock drafts, free agent lists and schedules for next season. This is the best and worst
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