As the 2024 NFL season approaches, the Chicago Bears have more talent on their roster than in recent years. General Manager Ryan Poles has significantly revamped the team through the draft and strategic trades. Despite the Bears overall roster improvement and increased number of “star” players, only three made CBS Sports Writer Pete Prisco’s list of the top 100 NFL players. Here are those players and their rankings:
34. Jaylon Johnson
“He had his breakout season in 2023, which earned him a new contract from the team. He gives them a true No. 1 corner and will team with Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon to give them one of the best trios in the league.”
73. Montez Sweat
“He had a career-best 12 1/2 sacks last season playing for the Commanders and Bears. He was traded midway through the season from Washington to Chicago and quickly established himself as the top edge player on the Chicago defense.”
84. DJ Moore
“He had a career-best 96 catches in his first season with the Bears. But the best thing about him is his big-play ability that is evident by his 14.2 yards-per-catch average.”
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No other Bears players made the top 100, but new wide receiver Keenan Allen received an honorable mention. Overall, I don’t have major issues with these rankings, but I do have a few questions and suggestions.
Overall Thoughts
First, DJ Moore seems too low at 84. It feels a bit off to me.
Additionally, Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards were both left out. At least one of them should have made it, especially Edwards, who had an outstanding 2023 season and is very underrated in the league.
Looking ahead, I believe Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze should make this list within the next three years, though I understand their absence since they haven’t played a snap yet.
Lastly, there’s no recognition for Teven Jenkins. If he had been healthy, I think he could have deserved a spot on this list.
When somebody prepares a list of players and qualifies them by numbers 1-100, unfortunately they leave out the value different players have based on the positions they play. Comparing a lineman to a wider-receiver or a line-backer to a quarterback is like comparing apples to oranges. The only true comparison can be by listing players 1-50 based on the positions they play.
I did not analyze the 100 in more than cursory way and was only looking at current Bears, so to move forward.
Pete Prisco is a self-admitted Bears hater! He will never give them any credit until they win the Super Bowl.
The biggest travesty on that list is Roquan Smith at 40! Go compare Edmunds’ numbers to Roquan’s numbers last year. Then look at Edwards’ numbers, and tell me that Roquan deserves to be on that list at 40 vs either of the Bears LBs. They aren’t #40 either, but one of the two should be on that list, and likely ahead of Roquan.
@Dr. Steven Sallie — Pete Prisco’s list (for CBS “NFL Top 100 Players of 2024”) is just that — another list. But it is fairly representative. Among the 100, you’ll find: #34. JAYLON JOHNSON #40. ROQUAN SMITH #73. Montez Sweat #79. Khalil MACK #84. DJ Moore Ryan Pace drafted the first two (Jaylon and Roquan); and acquired another one (Mack) by trade. Ryan Poles acquired two via trade (Sweat and Moore); but also traded away two (Mack and Smith). The Chargers gave up two draft picks for Mack: a second-round pick in 2022 and a 2023 sixth-round pick. The Bears… Read more »
100 lists, 100 different players on each one, these are all personal favorite player list’s and basically laughable.