Bears Improvement Only Goes So Far

The Bears have reached the lull after the storm, the time following the inital week of free agent signings.

Last year GM Ryan Poles rested after the seventh day. The same is happening now in a more productive free agency period.

It's been virtually universal praise for how the team started the offseason in terms of high grades for their roster additions through signings or DJ Moore in a trade.

Additions are one thing. What they do overall to affect the team's talent level are another matter.

Two NFL offseason power rankings came out the last few days indicating the Bears have improved their status, but in both cases the big jump some might expect is not there.

Conor Orr of SI.com and Dan Hanzus from NFL.com both posted post-free agency Week 1 power rankings and have the Bears climbing. They're definitely not going overboard with the rating.

SI.Com Rank: No. 23

Orr has been doling out high praise throughout offseason for Poles. The Bears have risen from 30th after the 2022 season to No. 23. They're not even out of their own divisional basement yet, but once the Aaron Rodgers move becomes official look out. The fall could be steep in Cheeseland.

"I don’t think a single team improved as much as the Bears did over the course of free agency—starting with a trade that solidified their confidence in Justin Fields (and earned him a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver) and ending with a selectively smart free-agency spending binge that handed the offense a few new sledgehammers in the backfield," Orr wrote.

The real sledgehammer in the backfield is D'Onta Foreman. The other back acquired was Travis Homer, a smaller third-down back who plays special teams and pass-blocks well.

Orr has a rather amusing finish in which he says the Bears could actually get out of last place in the NFC North, although it's not the Rodgersless Packers he points at as a team likely to assume the basement position.

NFL.com Rank: No. 26

Hanzus couldn't find a way to get the Bears out of the basement in the NFC North or elevate them as high as Orr did. And he took into account the Aaron Rodgers situation as being done. Even with Jordan Love at quarterback, he could find no way to drop the Packers worse than to No. 19.

"The Bears did well," Hanzus wrote. "They made the right decision to move forward with Justin Fields and trade the No. 1 overall pick to a team desperate for a fresh start at QB."

Hanzus does point to the next step.

"Using some of the draft-pick surplus to fortify the offensive line feels like a logical next step," Hanzus wrote.

The defensive line might be an even more logical step, but one position on the offensive line in particular seems an alternative place to start and that's right tackle.

No one can get too comfortable at center, either.

Judging from both power rankings posted, it's going to take Justin Fields getting on the field and actually showing he can take command of a more high-powered attack in terms of personnel before anyone is convinced to elevate the team more. 

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