It is that time of the year again, where we grade the entirety of the Chicago Bears organization from top to bottom for their performance in 2019.
Let’s begin.
GM Ryan Pace: C
When you look back at the free agent acquisitions heading into the season, you would’ve thought the Bears absolutely killed it. In some retrospect, they did. Both HaHa Clinton-Dix and Cordarrelle Patterson were as good as advertised but the team did have some whiffs, none being more prevalent than the Mike Davis fiasco.
HC Matt Nagy: C-
This one was tough to grade. In all honesty, I have been very critical of Matt Nagy and some of his decisions he made this year but with all that went array this season, he never lost his team. Yes, this is the sign of a good coach but at the same time it doesn’t necessarily mean he should be the one calling the plays. In fact, I think it’s best they find someone else to delegate those duties too.
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QB Mitchell Trubisky: C-
If there is one thing we can all agree on, it’s that Trubisky took a step back in 2019. Hell, he might have taken several. But if you want to grade the 3rd year quarterback fairly, you need to take into account all that went hay-wire for him this season. That includes the play-calling, offensive line, not having a tight-end, etc. A lot went wrong with the offense this season but again not all of that should be placed solely on the QB.
Offense: D-
I thought I’d switch it up and use a picture that accurately described all Bears fans when watching the travesty that was the Bears offense in 2019. According to Pro Football Reference the Chicago Bears had the 29th ranked offense in the NFL this season. The only teams worse were the Bengals, Jets, and Redskins.
So much for 202, right?
Defense: B
When it comes to the Bears 2019 defense, a lot of fans have mixed feelings. Some say they regressed, others say they are still a top 10 unit. In reality, both statements are correct. The Bears defense was bound to experience some form of regression but at the same time they ranked within the top five when it came to overall defense to end the season. When you also account for the new coaching change with Chuck Pagano and all the devastating injuries the unit experienced, the Chicago Bears defense still performed at a high level despite being shorthanded.
Special Teams: B-
If you take away a few running into the kicker penalties, a couple missed kicks, this Bears unit would have had a phenomenal year. Yet, with all the ups and downs this season has brought, who knew the special teams group would end up being one of the more consistent sides of the ball for the Bears in 2019.
Offensive Line: D
Yes, the offensive line has steadily gotten better over the course of the year but don’t let that fool you. This is an issue that has to be fixed this off-season if the Bears want to have any offensive success in 2020.
Wide Receivers (minus Allen Robinson): D+
Honestly, I think a D+ rating is pretty high considering the amount of drops and how madly inconsistent this group played with throughout most of the season.
Allen Robinson: A
The man was so good this year, he didn’t deserve to be grouped with the rest of the Bears wide receivers. I want the Bears to start the off-season by announcing Allen Robinson’s extension tomorrow morning. The man has earned it. Better to get it done now than later.
Running Backs: C+
David Montgomery had quite the rookie season despite all the chaos that surrounded him. As far as Tarik Cohen goes, I expected a lot more from him if we are being honest. I do expect him to have a bounce back season next year but if his struggles do continue, then it would be time to hit the panic button with the former 4th round pick.
Tight Ends: N/A
Remember when the Bears traded Greg Olsen for a bag of skittles? Yeah, me too.
Overall Grade: C-
The Bears finishing 8-8 on the season is pretty remarkable considering all that has gone wrong for them this year. It’s going to be a pivotal off-season but I believe with the right moves, the Bears can easily turn this thing around.
