There wasn’t much to love about the Chicago Bears’ performance following a disappointing 2019 season. But in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’re focusing on some of the things to love about the Bears.
Whether that’s players that shined in 2019, players that are making their return and concerted efforts heading into 2020, we managed to find some optimism heading into the new season.
Here are six things to love about the Bears heading into a crucial 2020:
1. They’re the underdogs again
For all of the hype surrounding the Bears last offseason, it ultimately didn’t help them in their quest to make a return trip to the playoffs. Whatever it is, the Bears seem to operate better without high expectations. They thrived in their underdog role in 2018, so perhaps it’s a good thing that practically no one outside of Halas Hall believes they can make another run in 2020.
2. Allen Robinson is in his prime
If there’s anything on the Bears offense to love, it’s receiver Allen Robinson. Robinson, the Bears’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for 2019, has carried himself well since arriving in Chicago. Robinson had 98 receptions for 1,147 yards and seven touchdowns last year, and he was easily the best thing on Chicago’s offense. Robinson became the first Bears receiver since 2014 to record a 1,000-yard season. Oh, and the kicker is, Robinson accomplished all of this in a bad offense. Imagine what he could do in a good offense.
3. Akiem Hicks is returning to the lineup
The loss of Akiem Hicks was something the Bears never really recovered from. While Nick Williams and Roy Robertson-Harris were solid fill-ins, there was just something missing without Hicks on the field. Hicks was the backbone of the middle of Chicago’s defense, and his ability to get after the quarterback made things easier on everyone around him, including Khalil Mack. Heading into 2020, the Bears will get back a healthy Hicks who no-doubt has opposing quarterbacks in his sight.
4. Bears defense remains one of the best in the NFL
While there’s plenty of work to be done on the offensive side of the football, there aren’t concerns about the Bears’ defense heading into 2020. While Chicago will surely lose a couple of players — as is the name of the free agent and salary cap game — they remain a top defense in the NFL. Despite the offense’s struggles, the Bears defense managed to give up just 18.6 points, which was the fourth-fewest in the league. So, basically, if the Bears offense was just decent, it would’ve been enough. Chicago still has some big-name players on that defense, including former All-Pros Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson and Kyle Fuller, as well as some returning from injury in Akiem Hicks and Roquan Smith.
5. Cordarrelle Patterson’s versatility as a playmaker
Cordarrelle Patterson proved to be worth every penny of his two-year contract with the Bears with his All-Pro performance in 2019. Patterson brought back some excitement to the kick return game, which hasn’t been seen since the likes of Devin Hester. Patterson averaged 29.5 yards on 28 kickoff returns, which was second in the NFL, and led the league with 825 kick-return yards. When he was on offense, Patterson came up with some big runs that put the team in a position to score. With an impressive playmaker like Patterson, the hope is to get him more involved on offense in 2020.
6. An effort is being made to fix the offense
Aside from Allen Robinson, there’s nothing to really love about Chicago’s offense. So I guess the next best thing is to love anticipated progress. There has been, and will continue to be, a concerted effort to fix what ailed the offense in 2019 — quarterback, offensive line, tight end, run game, play-calling. Matt Nagy has brought in four new offensive coaches to address those specific concerns, and Ryan Pace is expected to make some moves at quarterback, tight end and offensive line through free agency and/or the NFL Draft to address those deficiencies.
